Louise McCallum can be instructed in all cases relating to Family law and practices exclusively in this area. Louise is hard working, personable, conscientious, caring and very helpful to her clients and layclients.

She has experience of the following specific types of case:

• Children (private and public law) : including cases involving serious abuse, shaking injury, international element, adoption, wardship, child abduction,
• Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007
• Ancillary Relief

Louise McCallum's practice is predominantly public and private children work, but she also regularly receives instruction in ancillary relief proceedings. 

Louise McCallum regularly conducts public law cases on behalf of local authorities, respondent parents and children through their guardian.  Her experience includes care proceedings concerning allegations of sexual abuse and serious physical abuse. Ms McCallum has conducted a number of 'shaking injury' type cases. Louise also has experience in care proceedings with an international element.

Louise McCallum is also regularly involved in cases concerning placement and adoption orders. Ms McCallum's experience includes successfully acting on behalf of foster carers in a High Court Case seeking leave to apply to adopt a foster child of dual heritage; they were initially precluded by a Local Authority from doing so on grounds of race and ethnicity, Leave was granted and an adoption order was ultimately made in their favour.

Louise McCallum is frequently instructed in difficult private law cases, particularly those requiring findings of fact hearings and separate representation of the child. Ms McCallum has considerable experience in dealing with intractable contact disputes.

Louise McCallum also has experience of conducting wardship caseds against a background of child abduction. She has been involved in a number of cases requirng consideration of the UK-Pakistan protocol on child abduction.

Louise is regularly instructed in ancillary relief proceedings. Louise has been involved in difficult cases concerning third party interests and the involvement of a litigation friend/Official Solicitor due to mental incapacity.

Leeds City Council v YX & ZX (Assessment of Sexual Abuse) [2008]  EWCA 802 (Fam) [2008] 2 FLR 869. Care Proceedings. Allegations of sexual abuse. Instruction of Professor Heger, eminent American Paediatrician. Acted on behalf of Father. Parents entirely vindicated and sexual abuse found not to have taken place. Children returned to parents' care. Case has been the subject of publicity.

Shared Residence: Just a Label?  Family Law July 2004

Forced Marriage : A Special Bulletin (Jordans) : Sept 2009

Louise has published three articles on Forced Marriage in 2009
The Solicitor's Journal : 8 December 2009
Family Law Week
Local Government Lawyer : 21 November 2009 : 
... an online magazine written exclusively for lawyers working in Local Government

In the last year, Louise McCallum has delivered CPD accredited talks on a range of topics including:

Forced Marriage
Transparency & the Press in Family cases
Residence Orders
Sexual Abuse / RCP in Children Cases
Children Update

Family Law Bar Association (Treasurer North Eastern Circuit FLBA)

Zenith Family Group – Zenith Chambers

Cambridge University, BA (Cantab) Law.

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