We are thrilled to announce that our Family Children team has been named Children’s Law Team of the Year at the LexisNexis UK Family Law Awards 2025 in London. The team attended the ceremony to celebrate this recognition of their expertise and unwavering commitment to supporting children and families during some of life’s most challenging moments.
About the LexisNexis UK Family Law Awards
The LexisNexis UK Family Law Awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and impact across the family law sector. They recognise teams whose work achieves meaningful, lasting outcomes for children and families, often in complex and emotionally demanding cases. Being named Children’s Law Team of the Year is a testament to the quality, compassion, and consistency that define our Family Children practice.
A Team Making a Real Difference
Our Family Children team comprises 18 specialist children lawyers, supported by trainees, paralegals, and a dedicated client care co-ordinator. The team includes:
- 11 Law Society-accredited children law specialists
- 4 Resolution-accredited lawyers
- 2 solicitor advocates with higher rights of audience
- A Recorder and a Deputy District Judge
Achievements Over the Past Year
The team has:
- Represented parents and children in public and private law proceedings
- Acted for children directly or via their Guardians, ensuring their voices are heard
- Appeared at every level of court, from magistrates to the Court of Appeal
- Reunited abducted children across international borders
- Secured parental orders and adoptions to build new families
- Protected domestic abuse survivors through urgent legal intervention
Their work is both legally intricate and emotionally demanding. Whether reuniting families, preventing harm, or supporting adoptions, the team always puts children first.
Recognition and Rankings
The team’s excellence is reflected in their recent accolades:
- Chambers UK 2026: Band 1 in Public Law Children; Band 2 in Private Children Law; Band 3 in Children Law: International Abduction, Adoption and Surrogacy
- Legal 500 2025: Band 3 for Children
- The Times Best Law Firms 2026: Top 20 Family Law Department in the UK
- LALY Awards 2024: Jenny Newton named Children’s Rights Lawyer of the Year
- Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026: 97% staff satisfaction
These awards reflect the values we live by and the difference we make for children and families.
Beyond the Courtroom
Our lawyers are also shaping the wider legal and social landscape:
- Alia Lewis co-founded Family Law Advice for the Neurodivergent Community (FLANC), a cross-firm, not-for-profit working group dedicated to improving accessibility, understanding, and fairness within family justice.
- Jenny Newton serves on the CoramBAAF Legal Advisory Committee and has volunteered with Rights of Women for over 30 years.
- Deborah Piccos led the first East London Family Justice Board conference, promoting better collaboration and training.
- Sheena Vader, co-founder of FLANC, and Alia Lewis (joining July 2025) advance our neurodiversity-informed approach.
- Anest Mathias writes for BioNews and supports the Progress Educational Trust on modern family law issues.
- Sarah Inchley and Pernilla Finnilä provide pro bono support in cross-border child abduction cases through GlobalARRK.
- Maria Pilavaki and Sian Popplewell have raised thousands for charities through marathon fundraising.
We also collaborate with grassroots groups such as Hope for Justice, BBP Law School, and Safe Lives.
A Word from Our Managing Partner
Julian Overton, Managing Partner, said:
“We are incredibly proud to see the efforts of our Family Children Team recognised at a national level. This award highlights a team that gives everything, every day, to ensure children are protected and supported. Congratulations to everyone shaping the future of family law.”
