Public Law, Care and Adoption

David acts for local authorities, parents, grandparents, other relatives, interveners, and children’s guardians. He appears in the most complex of cases involving non-accidental injury, addiction, mental health, allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, domestic violence, neglect, complex fact finding, international placements and adoption, deprivation of liberty, etc. He is very approachable, gets on well with professional and lay clients and is always well prepared.

Recent Cases

• Representing a local authority in long running, complex and proceedings involving international assessments, a previous abduction to Somalia and a successful appeal to the Court of Appeal leading another member of chambers (C and D (Children), Re [2019] EWCA Civ 1692 (03 October 2019).
• Representing children though the children’s guardian, in a long running case involving issues of deprivation of liberty, specialist educational provision and care plans hotly contested by the parents one of whom was a non-English speaking litigant in person. The case involved numerous interim applications due the volatility and unpredictability of the parents.
• Representing a local authority in proceedings involving assessments in the UK and Poland, the management of a volatile and potentially dangerous parent and the management of contact and assessments.
• Representing a local authority and leading another member of chambers in a serious case involving fact finding in respect of allegations of sexual abuse of the subject child against an intervener relative who was himself a minor who was represented by QC and Junior.
• Representing a local authority and leading another member of chambers, before Ms Justice Henke, in exceptionally long running proceedings involving complex fact-finding in respect of very serious allegations of NAI and domestic abuse. The bundle was over 30000 pages with extensive phone disclosure evidence. Both parents were represented by KC and Junior.
• Representing a father at final hearing before Mr Justice Macdonald in a case involving potential placement in another European country. London Borough of Barnet v T (Welfare Analysis) [2025] EWFC 168
• Representing a vulnerable trafficked African mother in long running and ongoing care proceedings, and though opposed by the local authority and Guardian, persuading the court to allow a transition of the mother and children into the community.