Richard Lee

LLB (Hons) Liverpool, Call 2019, (admitted as a solicitor 2001)

Principal Areas of Work

• Family Law
• Children (Public) Law
• Children (Private) Law

Richard is a former High Court Solicitor-Advocate with over 15 years experience of practising exclusively in family law.

Richard qualified as a member of the Law Society Children Panel in 2011 and has represented numerous local authorities, parents and children. Richard has experience in a variety of complex care proceedings involving bone injuries, brain injuries and sexual abuse. Richard has conducted his own lengthy hearings, leading junior counsel on occasion.

In addition to public law children cases, Richard also has experience of acting for parents in contact and residence disputes and acting on behalf of the child in more complex private law proceedings.

Notable Cases:

• Re: X and Y (Flawed Sexual Abuse Investigation) [2021] EWFC B55 Richard acted for a father accused of sexually abusing his daughter. The case identified several flaws in the investigative process by the local authority and police which resulted in findings of sexual abuse not being made against the father. At Richard’s instigation the judge then went further and formally exonerated the father from any wrongdoing in that regard.
• Re: BB (Care Proceedings)(Mid-trial Dismissal and Withdrawal of Allegations) [2021] EWFC 20 Richard acted as junior counsel for an intervener accused of sexual abuse. Several breaches of good practice were identified in a variety of agencies involved with the children during the investigative process and all respondents applied for the local authoirty case to be dismissed, or substantially reduced, at the conclusion of the local authoirty evidence. Whilst the applications were not successful the respondents were not criticised in bringing the applications but the court determined that these proceedings required evidence to be heard from the respodnents and interveners prior to any judgement being given. As a postscript to this judgment, following the court hearing all the evidence in the matter, no sexual abuse findings were made against any party.

Qualifications

• University of Liverpool (LLB Hons) 1998
• College of Law, Chester – Legal Practice Course (1999)
• Admitted to the roll of Solicitors – 2001
• High Court Solicitor – Advocate – 2010 onwards
• Law Society Children Panel Member 2011 onwards
• Called to the bar – 2019

Memberships

• Lincolns Inn
• Family Law Bar Association

Testimonials

As a former solicitor and Children Panel member Richard’s knowledge and experience are impressive.  Richard has a sharp mind and is very good at dealing with clients in difficult circumstances.