Andrew Powell

Practice Areas

Court of Protection - Vulnerable Adult

Inquests and Inquiries

International Children Law

Private Children Law

Public Children Law

Direct Access

Career

Andrew is widely recognised for his expertise in cases concerning children. His practice focuses on parental disputes about arrangements for children after separation, international children law including child abduction, and applications to relocate children to another country. He is an experienced trial advocate who regularly appears against silks.

He has developed a niche practice representing parties in surrogacy, adoption and declaration of parentage cases. He has appeared in some of the leading cases concerning surrogacy and adoption.

Andrew also appears in public law cases, including those with complex medical evidence and allegations of sexual abuse. He is regularly instructed in public law cases where there is an international element and public law cases arising from high conflict private law disputes.

Andrew was awarded the ‘Family Law Junior Barrister of the Year Award’ in 2021 and has published a book about the legal aspects of surrogacy. He is also the editor of the domestic adoption chapter in Rayden and Jackson.

He has been a Governing Board Member of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory since 2021 and is a member of the Steering Group for the Bar Council’s 10,000 Black Interns Programme.

In 2024 Andrew was shortlisted by Chambers and Partners UK Bar Awards in the category of Diversity and Inclusion: Future Leader. He was also shortlisted as International Family Lawyer of the Year in the 2024 Family Law Awards.

Professional Memberships

Gray’s Inn

Family Law Bar Association

Association of Lawyers for Children

Court of Protection Bar Association

Associate member of the American Bar Association (Family law section)

Child Abduction Lawyers Association

JUSTICE