Jo-Anna Jellings

Legal Director

0161 836 8960
jo-anna.jellings@brabners.com

Jo-Anna is a Legal Director in our family team.

She has particular expertise in complex children matters and fertility law, with extensive experience in matters involving serious allegations from domestic abuse to alienation, parental relocation, internal and external relocation applications, Special Guardianship orders and international child abduction.

Jo-Anna deals with matters involving fertility law including domestic and international surrogacy. She also has significant experience of private children cases where the Local Authority becomes involved.

She advises on cases involving all aspects of relationship breakdown, including divorce and financial matters and cases with international elements and complex issues including committal, enforcement and interim issues.

Her clients come from a wide range of different backgrounds within both the UK and abroad.

Having practised family law for over a decade, Jo-Anna has been involved in a wide variety of cases, including a number of reported cases in respect of the interpretation and application of the law relating to surrogacy, as well as the impact of litigation misconduct within financial remedy proceedings.

She's recognised as a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 2025.

A member of the Young Resolution Committee and Child Abduction Lawyers Association, Jo-Anna is well regarded for her determined approach to the most challenging and sensitive cases and frequently receives praise from clients and counsel for her unyielding commitment to her clients.

She has also produced a number of academic and press comment pieces together with contributing to publications on divorce, financial settlements, alternative families and matters relating to children.

Jo-Anna joined us in 2023 and is based in our Manchester office.

Recognised in The Legal 500 2025

“We’ll never forget the difference that Brabners made in this chapter of our lives. We engaged Brabners for a family court case and it was one of the best decisions we’ve made. From start to finish, the team provided excellent support and guidance. Jo-Anna Jellings and Cara Nuttall were beyond amazing — very skilled, insightful and empathetic. They always had time to discuss the different recommendations and perspectives and gave space for me to ruminate before making any decisions. They worked collaboratively with different barristers to help us achieve the outcome we sought at every hearing. We hope that they can continue to impact many more people with the work that they do.”

Client feedback

“The ’superb’ Jo-Anna Jellings is particularly sought after for children matters.”

The Legal 500 2025