Russell-Cooke senior associate and Resolution-accredited international child abduction specialist Lauren Hall was elected to the Child Abduction Lawyers Association (CALA) executive committee as Treasurer. Lauren is a founding member of CALA.

CALA is a body of specialist child abduction lawyers founded in 2014 which includes the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit Panel Members. The aims of CALA are to be the collective voice of child abduction lawyers in relation to proposed legislation or Family Division changes to procedure, to provide a formal network of child abduction lawyers to maintain high standards of service and to improve the links between child abduction lawyers in England and Wales and similar specialists throughout the world.

Lauren commented: “It is a real honour to be elected to this position. I truly believe in what CALA stands for and I have a genuine personal interest in its success. I am really looking forward to taking on my new role alongside my fellow committee members and building on what CALA has already achieved.”

As a senior associate in the family team, Lauren acts for applicants and respondents in Hague Convention and international wardship cases. She acts for parents and grandparents in disputes relating to where children should live and when children should spend time with their parents and grandparents. Lauren is especially skilled at handling high conflict disputes. She also deals with leave to remove applications.