John’s practice encompasses both private law and public law proceedings relating to children. He is experienced in the most complex cases and he regularly appears in high profile and complex matters. His experience (in both the private and public fields) includes cases involving sexual abuse, the death or injury of a child (including very complex medical evidence), intractable parental disputes, press injunctions, human rights applications, adoption and the inter-relationship with the judicial review jurisdiction. John represents all parties in such cases. He is experienced in lengthy and complex trials.

In private proceedings John is experienced in proceedings with intractable issues, internal and external relocation of children and serious and complex allegations. John is often instructed in the most difficult cases requiring expert inter-personal skills.

John is experienced in media management and applications for press reporting restrictions orders. This experience has included some of the most high profile cases in recent years and has included the “Baby P” litigation and the “Little Ted’s Nursery” scandal. Such issues often include both the national and international media.

John regularly advises local authorities on issues of policy and is often asked to draft such policies within a team of professionals. He enjoys such collaborative work.

John appears in Judicial Review proceedings that include issues of family law. Such issues include local authority policy, educational issues and the inter-relationship between the limits of the Court’s jurisdiction and the role of the local authority.

John has been continuously recommended by Chambers and Partners as a leading junior in the field of children law for a decade.

John does undertake direct access work.

John writes a quarterly updating article for Family Law Week.