Stewarts was proud to sponsor Family Law Week’s Private Children Law Conference 2025, held at the Cavendish Conference Centre in London on 23 October. The event brought together some of the leading voices and most talented minds from across the family law profession to explore the theme ‘Reframing Private Children Law – Voice, Choice, and Protection in a Changing Landscape’. Felicia reviews the conference.
With a packed agenda and a vibrant atmosphere, the conference offered a rare opportunity for practitioners to reflect, connect and challenge the status quo.
The agenda featured a stellar line-up of speakers and sessions. Dame Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, opened the day with a powerful keynote on the intersection of domestic abuse and private children law proceedings.
A panel discussion on parental alienation and domestic abuse followed, tackling the complexities of safeguarding and strategy in highly contested cases where these issues are prevalent. Edward Lamb KC delivered a comprehensive private law update, and conference attendees were invited to reflect on children’s experiences throughout proceedings through an interactive play ‘Daisy Through the Looking Glass’, written and directed by His Honour Stephen Wildblood KC.
Head of our Children Team, Alex Verdan KC, chaired a panel discussion on the participation of children in private law proceedings and how professionals can amplify children’s voices in a system often dominated by adult narratives. Alex was joined by leading professionals in this area, Emily James KC, Jude Eyre and Laura Coyle. Together, they delivered a session that was thoughtful, practical and deeply rooted in the lived experiences of children, their parents and the professionals seeking to support them.
Partner Sophie Chapman hosted a session alongside Denise Gilling KC and Edward Flood on covert recordings, within which they unpacked the evidential challenges posed by such recordings (particularly those involving children) and explored the recent guidance issued by the Family Justice Council.
The day concluded with the Family Law Week Recognition Awards 2025, celebrating excellence and innovation across the sector, where associate Felicia Munde was ‘Highly Commended’ in the Rising Star category.
Alex Verdan KC commented: “Stewarts’ sponsorship of the conference reflects our ongoing commitment to shaping the future of family law, not just through the highly complex cases that we run, but through dialogue, leadership and collaboration across the field. We are so grateful to all who attended and contributed to the success of the day.”
The Stewarts team consists of 13 specialist children lawyers led by four partners. If you would like further information regarding our children team and expertise in this area of law, please find this on our Divorce and Family pages.
