Helen Blackburn

Helen Blackburn is a Partner at The International Family Law Group LLP.

She specialises in family law concerning children and has a particular expertise in child abduction law and other children cases with an international dimension or involving the cross-border movement of children. She has extensive experience of cases involving arrangements for children, custody/residence, contact/access (domestic and international), adoption (domestic and inter country), the reciprocal enforcement of foreign orders, international relocation/leave to remove applications and jurisdiction disputes.

Helen is accredited by Resolution as a Specialist Family lawyer with a particular specialism in Child Abduction and Private Children Law.

Helen has written for various legal journals and publications and is a frequent lecturer on family law.  She has been interviewed by the BBC regarding child abduction issues. 

• Children

  Adoption and Surrogacy

  Child Abduction

  Arrangements for Children

  Child Relocation: Moving Abroad with a Child

  Cross Border Enforcement

  Parental Responsibilities

• Testimonials
  1. 'Helen Blackburn is an expert in Hague Convention work. She frequently represents clients in international abduction cases and broader Children Act proceedings that span jurisdiction'

  Chambers UK 2023

  1. 'Whether instructed by her or in a case against her, you will absolutely need to bring your 'A' game'.
  2. 'Helen Blackburn is one of the most experienced international children lawyers around. Her practice is almost exclusively High Court and Court of Appeal based. She has an excellent knowledge of her subject area which she combines with great judgement and an impressive client skill. She is the most meticulous solicitor I have come across. She inspires confidence in her clients and counsel alike with her calm confident manner. She is undoubtedly one of the sharpest knives in the drawer!'

  The Legal 500 UK 2023

  1. 'Her efficiency and knowledge of her subject is very impressive'.
  2. 'She is very knowledgeable in the field of international family law, particularly international parental child abduction'.

  Chambers UK 2022

  1. ‘Helen Blackburn was an outstanding in every regard. I had the best support and I can not imagine that my case could have been put forward in any better way. I am deeply thankful for her open ears, impressed by her thoughtful and brilliant mind, her patience with my demanding involvement. She paid attention to every detail and was able to take in a broad and complex amount of information effortlessly.'
  2. 'Helen Blackburn is a real star in children work. She is caring, empathetic and has incredible attention to detail.'
  3. 'Helen Blackburn - her case preparation is impeccable and her understanding of the needs of the client is always spot on. It is clear that she has the confidence of her clients and she is always sensitive to their emotional as well as practical needs.'

  The Legal 500 UK 2022

  1. 'Helen is a go-to lawyer in this area; she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of law and practice, not just here but abroad as well. She knows the answers, she has a great knowledge of practice and procedure, and judges love her.'
  2. 'She's an intellectual powerhouse and one of the most well-prepared and thorough lawyers I have ever come across. Every case is immaculately presented, she puts you at ease the moment you speak to her and she's excellent with clients. She deals with the most complex international cases.'
  3. 'Helen Blackburn was amazing and offered lots of communication - her dedication was truly amazing.'

  Chambers UK 2021

  1. 'Helen Blackburn is one of the top children lawyers in London. She has an exceptionally strong practice across all areas of children’s law, particularly those cases with an international dimension.
  2. 'Helen Blackburn must be one of the leading children practitioners working in London' 
  3. 'Helen Blackburn is outstanding.'

  The Legal 500 UK 2021

  1. ‘Helen is held as an expert in Hague Convention work.'
  2. ‘She frequently represents clients in international abduction cases and broader Children’s Act proceedings that span jurisdictions.’
  3. ‘She’s very experienced and is one of the calmest solicitors under pressure I’ve ever come across.’

  Chambers UK 2020

  1. ‘Helen Blackburn is a leading figure in international family law. Her dedication and attention to detail make her a real pleasure to be instructed by. She always goes above and beyond to get the best outcome for her clients.’
  2. ‘Helen is a stellar lawyer. Smart and compassionate.’

  The Legal 500 UK 2019

  1. ‘Leading Individual.’
  2. ‘Top of the field in international child cases.’
  3. ‘Caring and tenacious and knows every important detail of her cases.’
  4. ‘Ranked lawyer for Children: Cross-Border Disputes, for her notable experience in cross-border abduction cases.’
  5. ‘Very knowledgeable, highly reliable and completely authoritative.’

  Chambers UK 2018

  1. 'One of the most effective English lawyers on international child abduction.'

  The Legal 500 UK 2017

• Appointments
  1. The Child Abduction Lawyers Association (CALA)
  2. Helen is a former Chair of CALA (Child Abduction Lawyers Association) from Autumn 2015-Spring 2018.
  3. Resolution (Accredited as a specialist family lawyer)
  4. Reunite: International Child Abduction Centre
  5. The Law Society 
• Publications
  1. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2012 -2013 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (second edition) - chapters on :  International Adoption and Legal Aid
  2. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2013 - 2014 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (third edition) - chapters on :  Child Abduction International Adoption and Legal Aid
  3. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2015 - 2016 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fourth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid
  4. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2015 - 2016 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fourth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid
  5. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2016 - 2017published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fifth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid
  6. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2021 -2022 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (sixth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid
  7. 'The Modern Family' Resolution's publication - author of the chapter entitled 'The Global Child'
• Reported Decisions
  1. Re M: Private Law Children Proceedings: Case Management: Intimate Images [2022] EWHC 986 (Fam)
     https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2022/986.html&query=(Re)+AND+(M:)+AND+(Private)+AND+(Law)+AND+(Children)+AND+(Proceedings:)+AND+(Case)+AND+(Management:)+AND+(Intimate)+AND+(Images)+AND+(.2022.)+AND+(EWHC)+AND+(986)+AND+((Fam)) 
  2. Re M (a child) [2021] EWHC 3225 (Fam) (1 December 2021)https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/3225.html&query=(Re)+AND+(M)+AND+((a)+AND+(child))+AND+(.2021.)+AND+(EWHC)+AND+(3225)+AND+((Fam)) 
  3. Da Silva v Pereira Jr (Abduction: Article 13B and child's objections) [2022] EWHC 1193 (Fam) (11 May 2022) https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2022/1193.html
  4. NP v DP (Hague Convention; abducting parent refusing to return) [2021] EWHC 3626 (Fam) (17 November 2021) https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/3626.html 
  5. AB v CD (Abduction; Undertakings) [2021] EWHC 665 (Fam) (16 March 2021)
     https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/665.html 
     
  6. W v W [2009] EWHC 3288 (Fam) (10 December 2009) 
     https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2009/3288.html   
     
  7. P v G [2010] EWHC 1311 (Fam) (30 April 2010) 
     https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2010/1311.html
     
  8. LC (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1058 (15 August 2013) 
     http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/1058.html
     
  9. G (A child), Re [2013] EWHC 4017 (Fam) (13 December 2013)
     https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2013/4017.html
     
  10. LC (Children), Re [2014] UKSC 1 (15 January 2014)
      http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2014/1.html
      
  11. G (a child), Re [2014] EWCA Civ 680 (19 May 2014) 
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2014/680.html
  12. LS (A Child), Re [2015] EWHC 2824 (Fam) (08 June 2015) 
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2015/2824.html
  13. RS (A Child), Re [2015] EWHC 2880 (Fam) (29 July 2015)
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2015/2880.html
  14. FE v YE [2017] EWHC 2165 (Fam) (25 August 2017)
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2017/2165.html
  15. W, Re [2018] EWCA Civ 664 (27 March 2018)
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2018/664.html
  16. RVH v TF (Non Hague Convention: Refusal of Summary Return) [2018] EWHC 1680 (Fam) (14 June 2018)  http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2018/1680.html
  17. Re W (Children : Abduction: Implementation of Return Order) V [2019] EWHC 357 (Fam) (22 February 2019)  http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2019/357.html
  18. SR v MA (Temporary Leave To Remove From the Jurisdiction) [2019] EWHC 435 (Fam) (25 February 2019) http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2019/435.html
  19. H (Children: Relocation), Re [2019] EWHC 2881 (Fam) (30 October 2019)
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2019/2881.html
  20. FX and MJX v CAFCASS Legal [2020] EWHC 1227 (Fam) (18 May 2020)
      http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2020/1227.html
  21. M (Children : Habitual Residence : 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention) [2020] EWCA Civ 1105 (25 August 2020)  http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2020/1105.html
  22. B (A Child) (Abduction: Habitual Residence) [2020] EWCA Civ 1187 (10 September 2020)  http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2020/1187.html
  23. JM v RM (Rev 1) [2021] EWHC 315 (Fam) (22 February 2021)
      https:/www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/315.html&query=(Children)
  24. AB v CD (Abduction; Undertakings) [2021] EWHC 665 (Fam) (16 March 2021)
      https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/665.html&query=(Children)
  25. Re A (Hague Convention: Wrongful Retention) [2021] EWHC 1204 (Fam) (11 May 2021)
      https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/1204.html&query=(Children)
  26. NP v DP (Hague Convention; abducting parent refusing to return) [2021] EWHC 3626 (Fam) (17 November 2021)
      https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/3626.html
  27. M (A Child) [2021] EWHC 3225 (Fam) (01 December 2021)
      https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/3225.html

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