Challenging Public Authorities in Family Law Practice and Procedure

Elizabeth Isaacs Barrister, St Ives Chambers

A barrister at St Ives Chambers, Birmingham specialising in public and private childcare law. She worked as a local authority child protection social worker for 8 years before being called to the Bar in 1998 and has substantial legal and professional experience of all areas of children and family work, including physical injury, child sexual abuse, mental health, domestic violence and public interest immunity. She is frequently asked to provide advice and training for solicitors and local authorities about legal practice and procedure in all areas of public child law.
 
Carmel Shepherd Children’s Guardian; Independent local authority panels chair, trainer and consultant

A freelance  practitioner working as a chair of adoption and fostering panels, independent social worker, children’s guardian, and trainer. She has over 20 years’ experience of working in local authorities as a social worker, team manager, and service manager. Her expertise is working with children and families where there are child protection concerns, and she has been involved in the formation of local authorities’ policies and procedures in child protection, fostering and adoption. In the early 1990’s she was instrumental in introducing Family Group Conferences to social work practice in London.

Jeremy Weston QC St Ives Chambers

Lorna Meyer QC No 5 Chambers