Introduction
Christopher is a children law expert and practices exclusively within this field. He is joint Head of the St Philips Children Law Group and a Recorder deployed to sit on the Northern Circuit. He is very well respected both for the quality of his advisory work and courtroom advocacy. He has an excellent reputation for meticulous preparation, sensitive client care and being appropriately robust and pragmatic. He regularly appears before High Court judges and has previously been shortlisted for the “Birmingham Barrister of the Year” award. He provides regular legal training and is an approved pupil supervisor.
Notable cases
Some of the complex cases Christopher has been instructed in recently are as follows:
- Re B and C [2021] – represented the local authority in a child death case in the High Court;
- Re T and H [2020] – represented the children in a child death case in the High Court (case reported);
- Re R and L [2020] – represented the local authority in a High Court case in which guidance was given to local authorities who become involved in private law proceedings (case reported);
- Re U and V [2020] – represented the local authority in an alleged human trafficking case in the High Court;
- Re C and S [2020] – represented the mother in a shaken baby case in the High Court;
- Re D and E [2019] – represented the local authority in an alleged fabricated and induced illness case in the High Court;
- Re B and S [2019] – represented a mother in the Court of Appeal;
- Re X and C [2018] – represented a father in a 4-month sexual abuse case in the High Court;
- Re X and Z [2017] – represented the local authority in an international American adoption case in the High Court;
- Re S and V [2016] – represented the local authority in an attempted drowning case;
- Re J and C [2016] – represented the children in a non-accidental head injury case;
- Re A and A [2016] – represented the local authority in an alleged fabricated and induced illness case in the High Court;
- Re D and L (2015) – represented the local authority in a child death case in the High Court;
- Re B and D (2015) – represented one of the children in an honour based violence case in the High Court;
- Re B and P (2015) – represented the local authority in a child death case in the High Court;
- Re K and Y (2015) – represented the local authority in a child death case in the High Court.
Reported cases
- A Local Authority v A and others [2009] EWHC 1982 (Fam) [2010] 3 FCR 503;
- Re A and B (One Parent Killed by the Other: Guidance) [2011] 1 FLR 783;
- A City Council v T and others [2011] EWHC 1082 (Fam) [2011] All ER (D) 217 (May);
- Re H (a child) [2012] All ER (D) 281 (Oct);
- Re Y (Minors) (Care Proceedings: Genetic Testing) [2013] 2 FLR 249;
- Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27
- A City Council and A [2020] EWFC 15;
- Re ABC (Children) (Overlaying Child) [2020] EWFC 57
- A Local Authority v XX [2021] EWFC 27
