Claire Longland

Practice Areas

Claire has experience representing parties in complex care proceedings including those involving international elements (where the child may be placed abroad either with a parent or a family member), where non-accidental injury of the child has been alleged, where there are disputed allegations of domestic violence, where a parent’s learning disability is the main concern and where there are issues concerning mental health and drug misuse.

In addition, Claire regularly advises parents where the local authority has concerns about a child but have not made an application to court, including attending Public Law Outline meetings with parents.

Claire also acts in cases involving disputes in respect of the living and contact arrangements for children, including those involving domestic abuse.

Claire is an effective and highly competent advocate and regularly undertakes her own advocacy. Many of Claire’s clients are extremely vulnerable and have found themselves involved in court proceedings for the first time, her calm, and sensitive handling of their cases helps to reassure and support them through this difficult time in their lives.

Areas of specialism:

- Public children law.

- Private children law.

- Domestic violence.

Career

Claire qualified as a solicitor in September 2013. She represents parents in a wide variety of private and public law cases concerning children and specialises in representing parents and other family members in care proceedings. She is a member of The Law Society’s Children Law Accreditation scheme.

Professional Memberships

The Law Society’s Children Law accreditation scheme.

Work Highlights

- Re S (a child) [2012] Lawtel/AC9201031.

- Representing a parent in care proceedings where there were complex medical issues relating to injury and significant congenital health and developmental difficulties of the child. Securing the child’s return under an appropriate package of support.

- Representing a parent in care proceedings with disputed allegations of domestic abuse which were transferred during proceedings to Romania under Article 15(5) Council Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003.

- Representing a mother in care proceedings where a finding was made by a Judge that the injuries had been caused by one or the other parent and that the other parent would have been aware. Obtaining the return of both children to the client’s care and successfully obtaining and order to restrict disclosure of evidence in the children’s best interests.

- Representing a father in a child arrangements dispute where domestic abuse was alleged and he was having no contact. Secured a child arrangements order for extensive time with the children including weekends and holidays.

- Representing an aunt in care proceedings and successfully applying for a special guardianship order and ensuring an appropriate support package was provided by the local authority.

- Representing a mother in care proceedings who had previous children removed and enabling her to demonstrate changes made and retain the care of her new-born child.