John Vater QC

Practice Areas

Called 1994, appointed QC 2012. John specialises in children’s law, both public and private. Public law: represents all parties at all levels and has particular expertise in cases involving complex medical evidence. Private law: has a particular interest in cases involving implacable hostility, issues of identity, and removal from the jurisdiction. In addition, John has wide experience of the inherent ‘best interests’ jurisdiction, having appeared in such cases for parents, subjects and the Official Solicitor. John is an IFLA accredited Children Law arbitrator. John is also a member of St John’s Buildings Chambers in Manchester and Liverpool and a member of 9 Park Place in Cardiff.

Career

John appears frequently in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and, on occasion, in the Supreme Court:

Re N (Children) [2016] UKSC 16

Re B (Child) (Relocation: Sweden) [2015] EWCA Civ 286

JB v KS [2015] EWHC 180 (Fam)

Re S and T [2015] EWHC 1753 (Fam)

Re M [2015] EWHC 1433 (Fam)

Other important cases include: Re P (care orders: injunctive relief) [2000] 2 FLR 385; Hale v Tanner [2000] 2 FLR 879 (Court of Appeal); Re ET (serious injuries: standard of proof) [2003] 2 FLR 1205; A County Council v DP, RS BS [2005] 2 FLR 1031; and Re H (residence order: placement out of jurisdiction) [2006] 1 FLR 1140. John is also at 9 Park Place Chambers (Chambers of Paul Hopkins QC).

Publications

Co-author of ‘Contact: The New Deal’ (Jordans 2006); ‘The Public Law Outline: The Court Companion’ (Jordans 2008).