We offer a wide range of expertise and a depth of experience in all areas of public and private child law.
Our children law barristers represent parents, intended parents and prospective adopters, competent children, children’s guardians, intervenors, the Official Solicitor, CAFCASS professionals and local authorities.
Our advice and representation covers:
- care proceedings and other applications brought by a local authority involving serious non-accidental injury, sexual abuse allegations and chronic neglect – we have a strong track record of representing parties in cases involving complex fact finding, disputed medical evidence, fabricated illness and relocation of children within the UK and overseas.
- adoption applications in the UK and overseas - our barristers have extensive practical experience in UK and international adoption cases (acting for prospective adopters and for local authorities)
- surrogacy arrangements in the UK and overseas – we have barristers who specialise in advising on parental orders, particularly within the context of an overseas commercial surrogacy agreement, our barristers also have experience advising and representing clients in residence, contact and child support applications where disputes arise within the context of children born as a result of assisted reproductive techniques.
- protective orders including abduction cases concerning Hague Convention and non-convention countries, FGM (female genital mutilation) forced marriage cases, domestic violence injunctions
- disputes between individuals about the upbringing of children, including residence leave to remove (both permanently and for holidays), contact and parental alienation
Several of our barristers have associated practices in related areas. This benefits our clients as it means we can advise on issues such as judicial review, housing, immigration and adult welfare matters falling under the jurisdiction of the Court of Protection.
Some of our group accept instructions directly from members of the public in suitable cases under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme.