Helen Blackburn

Practice Areas

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 a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL).

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.

Professional Memberships

Helen is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)

Helen is a former Chair of CALA (Child Abduction Lawyers Association) from Autumn 2015-Spring 2018

The Child Abduction Lawyers Association (CALA)

Resolution (Accredited as a specialist family lawyer)

Reunite: International Child Abduction Centre

The Law Society

Publications

The International Family Law Practice' 2021 -2022 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (sixth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid

'The International Family Law Practice' 2016 - 2017 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fifth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid

'The International Family Law Practice' 2015 - 2016 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fourth edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction, International Adoption and Legal Aid

'The International Family Law Practice' 2013 - 2014 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (third edition) - chapters on : Child Abduction International Adoption and Legal Aid

'The International Family Law Practice' 2012 -2013 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (second edition) - chapters on : International Adoption and Legal Aid

'The Modern Family' Resolution's publication - author of the chapter entitled 'The Global Child'

Work Highlights

Reported Decisions:

D v D & Ors [2024] EWHC 2687 (Fam)

KS v CS [2024] EWHC 2115 (Fam)

Re E, Z, D, V (Inherent jurisdiction: Refusal of Return Order) [2024] EWHC 988 (Fam)

X v X & Anor (Time Barred Adoption) [2024] EWHC 364 (Fam)

Re P (Inherent Jurisdiction Return: Return Order: Welfare Analysis) [2023] EWHC 225 (Fam)

Re M (Allegations of Domestic Abuse: Welfare Hearing) [2023] EWHC 2869 (Fam)

Re P (Inherent Jurisdiction Return: Allegations of Female Genital Mutilation and Domestic Abuse: Fact Finding) [2022] EWHC 1722 (Fam)

Re M (Allegations of Domestic Abuse: Fact Finding) [2022] EWHC 2699 (Fam)

Re M: Private Law Children Proceedings: Case Management: Intimate Images [2022] EWHC 986 (Fam)

Da Silva v Pereira Jr (Abduction: Article 13B and child's objections) [2022] EWHC 1193 (Fam) (11 May 2022)

Re M (A child) [2021] EWHC 3225 (Fam) (1 December 2021)

NP v DP (Hague Convention; abducting parent refusing to return) [2021] EWHC 3626 (Fam) (17 November 2021)

Re A (Hague Convention: Wrongful Retention) [2021] EWHC 1204 (Fam) (11 May 2021)

AB v CD (Abduction; Undertakings) [2021] EWHC 665 (Fam) (16 March 2021)

JM v RM (Rev 1) [2021] EWHC 315 (Fam) (22 February 2021)

B (A Child) (Abduction: Habitual Residence) [2020] EWCA Civ 1187 (10 September 2020)

M (Children : Habitual Residence : 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention) [2020] EWCA Civ 1105 (25 August 2020)

FX and MJX v CAFCASS Legal [2020] EWHC 1227 (Fam) (18 May 2020)

H (Children: Relocation), Re [2019] EWHC 2881 (Fam) (30 October 2019)

SR v MA (Temporary Leave To Remove From the Jurisdiction) [2019] EWHC 435 (Fam) (25 February 2019)

Re W (Children : Abduction: Implementation of Return Order) V [2019] EWHC 357 (Fam) (22 February 2019)

RVH v TF (Non Hague Convention: Refusal of Summary Return) [2018] EWHC 1680 (Fam) (14 June 2018)

W, Re [2018] EWCA Civ 664 (27 March 2018)

FE v YE [2017] EWHC 2165 (Fam) (25 August 2017)

RS (A Child), Re [2015] EWHC 2880 (Fam) (29 July 2015)

LS (A Child), Re [2015] EWHC 2824 (Fam) (08 June 2015)

LC (Children), Re [2014] UKSC 1 (15 January 2014)

G (A Child), Re [2014] EWCA Civ 680 (19 May 2014)

G (A Child), Re [2013] EWHC 4017 (Fam) (13 December 2013)

LC (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1058 (15 August 2013)

P v G [2010] EWHC 1311 (Fam) (30 April 2010)

W v W [2009] EWHC 3288 (Fam) (10 December 2009)