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Maria Conesa Gonzalez

Maria joined Judge & Priestley in March 2020 and is a Partner in the Family Department. She heads the Complex and Cross Border Disputes Team within the Family Department.

Maria is recognised as a Key Lawyer in the Legal 500 and as a ranked individual by Chambers & Partners.

Experience

Maria started her practice in England and Wales in late 2011, and since then has worked at leading law firms in London where she gained experience in all aspects of family law. She qualified as a Registered European Lawyer in England and Wales in 2015 and as a solicitor in 2018. Maria specialises in children related matters and cross border disputes, such as child abduction, registration and enforcement of foreign orders or applications for leave to remove.

Maria is accredited by Resolution as a Specialist on private law children and child abduction reflecting her experience in those areas of law.

Maria is also qualified as a Spanish lawyer, “Abogada”, and is able to provide expert reports to other family law solicitors or the court as to the enforceability of English orders in Spain, or Spanish orders in England.

Maria often attends conferences both in England and abroad, as attendee and also as a speaker.

Maria speaks fluent Spanish and English and understands Italian.

Maria’s reported cases include:

Editorial Recognition

Legal 500

Maria has appeared as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 Editorial since 2017. Since then, she has continued to be recommended in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions, with one of the testimonials on the 2024 edition describing her as “The standout of the firm. She is incredible in her practice and very down to earth, making her approachable and a standout in her field. She has an eye for detail”.

Other feedback includes;

‘Maria Conesa Gonzalez is a real superstar. She is very bright and can analyse complex material quickly and hone in on the relevant points. She is very personable and has endless energy.’
‘Maria Conesa Gonzalez is one of the finest international family law minds in the business.’
‘Maria Conesa Gonzalez is extremely knowledgeable in children matters. Whenever I have a difficult case or query I will always first consult with her. She has the right approach to the cases. She is a fast thinker and can always provide a solution to a difficult situation. She is extremely well connected in terms of experts and other professionals. It is clear that Maria his able to represent clients in the most efficient way.’

Chambers & Partners

Maria was recognised with an individual ranking in Chambers & Partners for the first time in 2025 and again in 2026. The feedback received included;

‘Maria brings a lot of energy to her clients, has an amazing knowledge of international law and is a force of nature.’
‘I rate Maria highly, she’s a calming presence and takes the heat out of things.’
‘Maria always has an eye on the strategy of a case and can cut through the fat. She’s also good at instilling confidence in the client and is very calm and solid.‘

2026 also saw the Family Department as a whole being ranked for the first time.

The Times Best Law Firms 2026

Judge & Priestley was recognised in The Times Best Law Firms 2026, the first year the firm has been included in the prestigious list of 250 firms across England & Wales. The listing saw a specific commendation for family law.

Memberships and Accreditations

Maria is a member of Resolution, accredited as a specialist on private law children and child abduction; a member of the Child Abduction Lawyers Association (CALA); of the Spanish Association of Family Lawyers (AEAFA); AIJUDEFA and a recommended solicitor by Reunite International as a specialist on child abduction matters. Maria is also registered with the Murcia Bar Society in Spain and is a member of its commission on international private law. She is also registered with Murcia Bar Association in Spain and a member of its International Private Law Commission.

Maria has also been appointed as a consultant for the Family Law Commission at the Madrid Law Society. She is also part of the Women in Family Law Committee.

Outside of Work

Maria enjoys travelling and spending time with family and friends.

In July 2025 Maria completed the National 3 peaks challenge in 24 hours with 7 of her fellow Judge & Priestley colleagues raising money for the Charities Demelza and Mind.