Elizabeth Isaacs KC MCIArb

Elizabeth Isaacs KC is a specialist family law silk who has a wealth of experience in all aspects of complex public law proceedings relating to children. She has a strong reputation for excellence in oral and written advocacy and is highly regarded for her compassionate and approachable style when working with vulnerable parties and witnesses, including children. Elizabeth prioritises a collaborative approach with solicitors and juniors and provides clear leadership within the team to deliver the best outcomes for clients. She regularly acts for local authorities, parents, interveners, children and the Official Solicitor in highly sensitive and serious cases.

Particular areas of expertise and interest include –

• Child death
• Serious physical injury
• Allegations of physical, emotional and sexual harm
• Toxicology and poisoning
• Domestic abuse
• Fabricated or Induced Illness and Perplexing Presentations
• Adoption/international placement of children
• Special Guardianship
• DOLS and Court of Protection
• Disclosure and Public Interest Immunity (PII) issues
• Local authority decision-making
• Media/privacy law in family proceedings
• Human rights issues
• Judicial review
• LGBTQ and Modern Family parenting issues

Notable Cases

St Helens BC v M and Others [2022] EWFC 56

Re T (Care Proceedings: Fact-Finding: Genital Injuries) [2021] EWFC 101

Tameside MBC v AM & Ors; Derby City Council v AB & Ors; Lambeth BC v ED & Ors; Manchester CC v LT & Ors [ 2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] 1689 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] EWHC 61 (Fam)

Re K (Threshold: Cocaine Ingestion: Failure to Give Evidence) [2020] EWHC 2502 (Fam)

Re C (Children) (Covid-19: Representation) [2020] EWCA Civ 734

Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27

VBC v AGM [2019] EWFC 64

Re AA (Children) [2019] EWFC 64

Re C (Declaration of Parentage: Written Consent) [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam) 

M v W, C & Secretary of State for Health [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam)

Rochdale Borough Council v F & Others [2018] EWHC 2996 (Fam)

Carmarthenshire CC v Y and Others [2017] EWFC 36

Re Z (A Child) (No 2) [2016] EWHC 1191 (Fam)

Re N-S (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 1121

Re AD, AE, AF, AG & AH (HFEA 2008) [2017] EWHC 1782 (Fam)

Re P-K (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 965

RE M (A CHILD) sub nom (1) H (2) B v (1) S (2) M (A CHILD BY HER GUARDIAN) [2015] EWFC 36

RE Z (A Child) [2015] EWFC 73

RE F (A CHILD) (International Relocation Cases) sub nom DF v N B-F [2015] EWCA Civ 882

Re X (A Child) (Surrogacy: Time Limit) [2014] EWHC 3135 (Fam)

Re B (A Child) [2014] EWHC B1 (Fam) Re S (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 1073

SMBC v RG et al [2013] EWHC 2373 (COP)

Re M (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 446

S v Z [2012] EWHC 84 (Fam) Re D O’H (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 1343

Re L (Duty to the Court of a Psychologist) [2011] EWHC B29 (Fam)

Re C and D (Photographs of Injuries) [2010] EWHC B27(Fam)

Re X, Y and Z (Children) [2010] EWHC B12 (Fam)

Re W (Care: Threshold Criteria) [2007] 2 FLR 98 (CA)

Re B (Appeals: Lack of Reasons) [2003] 2 FLR 1035 (CA)

Elizabeth Isaacs KC is a specialist family law silk who has a wealth of experience in all aspects of private law proceedings relating to children and is committed to providing an efficient and robust approach within the dynamic and challenging field of private law practice. Elizabeth has a formidable reputation for excellence and is highly regarded for her persuasive oral and written advocacy skills at all levels of court.

She prioritises a collaborative approach with solicitors and clients, providing clear leadership within the team to deliver the best outcomes in the case. Elizabeth regularly acts for parents, interveners, children and the Official Solicitor. Particular areas of expertise and interest include –

• LGBTQ and Modern Families parenting issues
• Children’s living and contact arrangements
• Intractable welfare disputes
• Disputes about habitual residence
• Domestic and international relocation
• Disputes about education, religion and medical issues
• Surrogacy and parental order applications
• Special guardianship
• Media/privacy law in family proceedings

Notable Cases

Tameside MBC v AM & Ors; Derby City Council v AB & Ors; Lambeth BC v ED & Ors; Manchester CC v LT & Ors [ 2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] 1689 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] EWHC 61 (Fam)

Re K (Threshold: Cocaine Ingestion: Failure to Give Evidence) [2020] EWHC 2502 (Fam)

Re C (Children) (Covid-19: Representation) [2020] EWCA Civ 734

Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27

VBC v AGM [2019] EWFC 64

Re AA (Children) [2019] EWFC 64

Re C (Declaration of Parentage: Written Consent) [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam) 

M v W, C & Secretary of State for Health [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam)

Rochdale Borough Council v F & Others [2018] EWHC 2996 (Fam)

Carmarthenshire CC v Y and Others [2017] EWFC 36

Re Z (A Child) (No 2) [2016] EWHC 1191 (Fam)

Re N-S (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 1121

Re AD, AE, AF, AG & AH (HFEA 2008) [2017] EWHC 1782 (Fam)

Re P-K (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 965

RE M (A CHILD) sub nom (1) H (2) B v (1) S (2) M (A CHILD BY HER GUARDIAN) [2015] EWFC 36

RE Z (A Child) [2015] EWFC 73

RE F (A CHILD) (International Relocation Cases) sub nom DF v N B-F [2015] EWCA Civ 882

Re X (A Child) (Surrogacy: Time Limit) [2014] EWHC 3135 (Fam)

Re B (A Child) [2014] EWHC B1 (Fam) Re S (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 1073

SMBC v RG et al [2013] EWHC 2373 (COP)

Re M (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 446

S v Z [2012] EWHC 84 (Fam) Re D O’H (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 1343

Re L (Duty to the Court of a Psychologist) [2011] EWHC B29 (Fam)

Re C and D (Photographs of Injuries) [2010] EWHC B27(Fam)

Re X, Y and Z (Children) [2010] EWHC B12 (Fam)

Re W (Care: Threshold Criteria) [2007] 2 FLR 98 (CA)

Re B (Appeals: Lack of Reasons) [2003] 2 FLR 1035 (CA)

Elizabeth is the Head of St Ives Chambers, and a door tenant at Coram Chambers (London), Unit Chambers (Liverpool) and 18 St Johns Street (Manchester). She is a specialist child law silk, Deputy High Court Judge and Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn. She is a qualified Children’s Arbitrator registered with the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators. She has a national reputation for a strategic and collaborative approach, excellent advocacy, forensic preparation and is highly regarded for her compassionate style with clients. She is a contributing editor to the Family Court Practice. In 2019 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Coventry University in recognition of her contribution to family law and equality law. She is an expert authority in all aspects of private child law disputes, with particular interests in LGBT parenting issues, parental alienation, habitual residence, relocation, disputes about education, religion and medical issues, and surrogacy and fertility law. She is frequently instructed in cases following breakdown of surrogacy arrangements or same-sex parenting arrangements.

Elizabeth is a member of the Family Law Bar Association, LGBT Family Law Institute UK & Ireland, Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is a trustee of the Donor Conception Network.

She is able to conduct arbitration hearings in person in chambers in Birmingham, London, Liverpool or Manchester, or is very happy to travel to any venue as requested. She is also able to conduct hearings remotely, by telephone or video-link, if required.

Elizabeth Isaacs KC is a specialist family law silk who has a wealth of experience in all aspects of private law proceedings relating to children and is committed to providing an efficient and robust approach within the dynamic and challenging field of private law practice. Elizabeth has a formidable reputation for excellence and is highly regarded for her persuasive oral and written advocacy skills at all levels of court.

She prioritises a collaborative approach with solicitors and clients, providing clear leadership within the team to deliver the best outcomes in the case. Elizabeth regularly acts for parents, interveners, children and the Official Solicitor. Particular areas of expertise and interest include –

• LGBTQ and Modern Families parenting issues
• Children’s living and contact arrangements
• Intractable welfare disputes
• Disputes about habitual residence
• Domestic and international relocation
• Disputes about education, religion and medical issues
• Surrogacy and parental order applications
• Special guardianship
• Media/privacy law in family proceedings

Notable Cases

Tameside MBC v AM & Ors; Derby City Council v AB & Ors; Lambeth BC v ED & Ors; Manchester CC v LT & Ors [ 2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] 1689 (Fam)

Salford City Council v W [2021] EWHC 61 (Fam)

Re K (Threshold: Cocaine Ingestion: Failure to Give Evidence) [2020] EWHC 2502 (Fam)

Re C (Children) (Covid-19: Representation) [2020] EWCA Civ 734

Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27

VBC v AGM [2019] EWFC 64

Re AA (Children) [2019] EWFC 64

Re C (Declaration of Parentage: Written Consent) [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam) 

M v W, C & Secretary of State for Health [2019] EWHC 648 (Fam)

Rochdale Borough Council v F & Others [2018] EWHC 2996 (Fam)

Carmarthenshire CC v Y and Others [2017] EWFC 36

Re Z (A Child) (No 2) [2016] EWHC 1191 (Fam)

Re N-S (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 1121

Re AD, AE, AF, AG & AH (HFEA 2008) [2017] EWHC 1782 (Fam)

Re P-K (Children) [2017] EWCA Civ 965

RE M (A CHILD) sub nom (1) H (2) B v (1) S (2) M (A CHILD BY HER GUARDIAN) [2015] EWFC 36

RE Z (A Child) [2015] EWFC 73

RE F (A CHILD) (International Relocation Cases) sub nom DF v N B-F [2015] EWCA Civ 882

Re X (A Child) (Surrogacy: Time Limit) [2014] EWHC 3135 (Fam)

Re B (A Child) [2014] EWHC B1 (Fam) Re S (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 1073

SMBC v RG et al [2013] EWHC 2373 (COP)

Re M (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 446

S v Z [2012] EWHC 84 (Fam) Re D O’H (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 1343

Re L (Duty to the Court of a Psychologist) [2011] EWHC B29 (Fam)

Re C and D (Photographs of Injuries) [2010] EWHC B27(Fam)

Re X, Y and Z (Children) [2010] EWHC B12 (Fam)

Re W (Care: Threshold Criteria) [2007] 2 FLR 98 (CA)

Re B (Appeals: Lack of Reasons) [2003] 2 FLR 1035 (CA)