Philip McCormack

Introduction

Philip is a family law practitioner, specialising in public law children cases. Philip often represents all parties in public law children cases, increasingly representing children on the instruction of children's guardians and directly.

Within his practice, Philip deals with some of the most serious issues before the Family Courts, including death, serious injury and sexual abuse of children.

Philip is the Head of the Family Group at 42 Bedford Row.

Family Law

Philip is Head of the Family Group at 42 Bedford Row. He is a public law specialist with experience in civil and criminal proceedings. He mainly represents children in complex proceedings across a range of matters including infant death, head injury and abuse. He represents all parties in proceedings including children.

He regularly appears in the County Court, as well as the Magistrates and Family Courts.

Recent Cases

SE (the children) [Ongoing 2023]: representing three children in a case where threshold arose around parental drug use, neglect and signification bruising to a non-mobile child. The case remains listed for a contested welfare hearing in the Spring.

NC (a child) [2022]: representation of a four-week-old child who presented to the hospital with non-accidental fractures and bruising. This case involved extensive examination of medical records as part of the preparation for cross examining the various medical experts and legal research involving the status of a suicide note in public law care proceedings.

BM (the children) [2022] – proceedings arising from a bilateral skull fracture idenfief on a non-mobile child with no explanation of injuries. There were concerns about parental mental health and drug misuse.

W (a child) [2022] - In these proceedings a nationally recognised actress was a respondent in care proceedings concerning her son. The concerns arose as a result of mental health concerns of both the mother and the father. On behalf of the child, a sensitive but extensive cross examination was required of the mother examining her historic mental health issues, compliance with medication and her understanding of professional concerns. As the case progressed and the mother grew to recognise the likely outcome, it was necessary to manage her scatter gun attack on the process and her family.

O (A Child: International Placement), Re [2019] EWFC B20 (02 April 2019)

CQ, DQ & EQ (Children), Re [2018] EWHC 3979 (Fam) (17 November 2018)