Mai-Ling Savage

Practice Areas

Court of Protection - Vulnerable Adult

Financial Remedies

International Children Law

Private Children Law

Public Children Law

Direct Access

Career

Mai-Ling Savage is a highly regarded and experienced practitioner in Family Law, recognised by Chambers and Partners as being “Forceful and totally committed to the client.”

Mai-Ling has a robust practice in Family Law, with expertise in Court of Protection work , Children’s Law (including Public, Private and International cases), care proceedings, surrogacy and assisted reproduction and matrimonial finance.

Children’s Law

Mai-Ling’s practice includes residence and contact disputes, including internal and international relocation, disputes between same sex couples, fact-finding hearings and cases of parental alienation and recruitment of children against a parent by care givers. Mai-Ling has particular expertise in issues relating to surrogacy and assisted reproduction cases in which issues of legal parentage arise.

Mai-Ling has particular expertise in care proceedings involving allegations of non-accidental injury with complex medical issues or disputed medical evidence, sexual abuse (including false allegations of sexual abuse), factitious illness and vulnerable adults. She also has expertise in cases involving forced marriage, FGM and radicalisation.

Examples of recent cases include fractures to an 8-week-old baby, life-limiting injuries to a 6-week-old baby, sexual abuse allegations including a paedophile ring and inter-sibling sexual abuse.

Mai-Ling has recently undertaken a number of cases involving breaches of the Human Rights Act 1998.

She frequently advises in family proceedings concerning immigration and nationality issues as well as international adoptions, transnational care and child placement arrangements.

Financial Remedies

Mai-Ling has a wide experience of financial remedies and appears in courts of all levels including the High Court.

She has also been instructed in applications under Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 and Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustees act (ToLATA).

Court of Protection

Mai-Ling has an established practice acting in health and welfare cases for all parties, including health and social care bodies and individuals.

She has undertaken cases that involve best interest decisions, welfare and financial decisions and deprivations of liberty, including contested applications involving fact-finding hearings.

Mai-Ling has acted in cases involving adults with learning disabilities, adults with acquired brain injury and people with dementia, including disputes about residence or contact with family members. She is instructed by the Official Solicitor, individuals and local authorities.

Mai-Ling has particular expertise in cases where there is a crossover with family proceedings, for example, non-consensual marriage.

Mai-Ling is a member of CoPPA.

International Children Law

Mai-Ling is experienced in cases of international abduction, and international adoption. She frequently advises in family proceedings concerning immigration and nationality issues as well as international adoptions, transnational care and child placement arrangements.

Pro Bono Work

In 2015 and 2017 Mai-Ling was shortlisted for Sydney Elland Goldsmith Bar Pro Bono Award, in recognition of an outstanding commitment to pro bono work.

She is a trustee of Wheels for Wellbeing, an award-winning inclusive cycling charity, which helps people enjoy the benefits of cycling regardless of disability, age or health condition.

Professional Memberships

Family Law Bar Association

Association of Lawyers for Children

Child Poverty Action Group

Administrative Law Bar Association

CoPPA

Publications

Contributor: Emergency Remedies in the Family Courts (Family Law, January 2000)(Chapters: Applications under the Children Act 1989)

‘Revoking an adoption order: unusual and exceptional’ (Family Law, November 2019)

Awards