Children involved in your dispute

It is usually best for your family if any disputes involving your children can be resolved through agreement between you and your partner, and ideally through collaborative or mediated means rather than in the courts if that can be achieved. In our first meeting with you, we will quickly assess your situation and recommend the best approach.

We have experience in all types of issues involving children – whether disputes over paternity, living arrangements, access (by parents or grandparents), schooling, maintenance, relocation and parental alienation. We bring particular insight where there are international and cross-border issues or where there are inter-related complicated financial arrangements.

Due to our depth of experience with complex international work we have successfully represented parents in preventing their children from being moved to live in another country, and alternatively helping others to move. One of these cases (MK v CK 2011) resulted in a landmark decision by the Court of Appeal and the adaptation of principles to be applied in all child relocation cases.

We deal with numerous relocation applications in Hong Kong. One of our cases in the Court of Appeal (LN v SCCM 2013), which involved parties in Hong Kong and Singapore, led directly to Hong Kong becoming a member of the international Judges network to improve the communication between judges in different jurisdictions for the benefit of children. In another of our Hong Kong cases JEK v LCYP (2015), the Court of Appeal redefined the meaning of habitual residence.

In addition to our experience relating to care arrangements for children, we also benefit from being able to bring in our trust lawyers who work to safeguard the financial interests of children during separation and divorce, as well as our reputation management team who can help to keep them out of the public eye.