Elspeth Thomson

Practice Areas

Family Law including:

Adoption

Arbitration

Arrangements for Children Whose Parents have Separated

Care Proceedings and Social Services involvement with your Children

Child Abduction

Child Protection

Domestic Abuse Solicitors

Family and Friends Carers (Kinship Carers)

Forced Marriages

LGBTQ+ Solicitors and Legal Advice

Surrogacy

Wills, Probate & Life Planning

Career

I was admitted as a solicitor in 1994 after studying law at Cambridge University and have practised family law ever since. I now specialise in children law with a caseload consisting of public and private law children disputes, and adoption and surrogacy applications.

I also represent family members in legal cases and am the managing partner of David Gray Solicitors LLP with responsibility for the strategic planning and operational running of the firm.

I have represented children, parents, step-parents and adopters in adoption cases and have a thorough understanding of this complex area of law. I have spent many years representing people experiencing domestic abuse and I am very sensitive to the issues involved. In April 2019 I give evidence to UK Parliament on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill Committee in The House of Commons which can be viewed here . In May 2020 I once again provided remote evidence to the House of Commons during the COVID-19 lockdown, find out more.

As a Higher Rights Advocate, I enjoy representing my clients in all levels of the family court. I take time to listen to what is important for my clients and do my best to use the law to help them achieve their aims. I know the law can sound complicated and I try to explain things in a way that people can understand easily. I know that having a family legal problem is very stressful and I try to make things as easy as I can for my clients.

I am an accredited arbitrator (children’s issues) and member of the Institute of Family Law arbitrators.

Professional Memberships

I hold the following accreditations and memberships:

elected national committee member of Resolution which represents over 6000 family justice professionals throughout the country who are committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes

co-chair of the Resolution legal aid committee.

member of the Association of Lawyers for Children

accredited as a member of the Law Society Children Panel

accredited by Resolution as a specialist lawyer in the areas of private children law and domestic abuse.