Michael Edwards
UK Bar Guide 2025
Band 3 : Family: Children
Band 3
About
Provided by Michael Edwards
Practice Areas
• Cross-border children
• Private law
• Public inquiries / inquests
• Judicial / immigration
• Arbitration
• Validity of marriage
• Sports law
Career
Cross-border children
Specialist in child abduction, leave to remove and jurisdictional disputes. He regularly appears in the High Court and has appeared in many of the leading cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (see full case list via the link above).
As a member of the Attorney General’s B Panel, Michael regularly advises government departments on international family law / immigration issues.
Private law
Appears regularly in leave to remove applications (domestic and international), cases involving allegations of domestic and sexual abuse and parental alienation.
Michael also sits as an arbitrator and regularly hears private law cases.
Public inquiries / inquests
Michael is head of the public inquiries / inquests team at 4PB.
Currently instructed by the MOD in the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, investigating alleged war crimes committed by British forces in Afghanistan.
Other experience:
• IICSA - investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Lord Janner
• Ellie Butler inquest
• Inquests on behalf of the Government Legal Department
Judicial / immigration
Michael sits as a Deputy District Judge on the South Eastern Circuit. In 2022, Michael was appointed to a 3-member judicial panel to review the asylum claims of Sri Lankan Tamils present on British Indian Ocean Territory.
Validity of marriage
Acted for the wife in the Court of Appeal in the leading case on validity of marriage, Akhter v Khan [2020] EWCA Civ 122.
Represents and advises the King’s Proctor on the regulation of divorce case in England and Wales
Sports law
Advises regulatory bodies on child protection in sport and sits on judicial panels for The FA, British Swimming and Swim England.
Professional Memberships
FLBA
ALC
Resolution
British Association for Sport and Law
Publications
Co-Editor of International Family Law, the leading journal on international family justice.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Michael Edwards is a children law junior with an international practice, who has handled a number of highly complex abduction cases in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. His practice spans a broad range of private and public law proceedings involving international issues.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Michael is a fantastic individual to work with. He holds his own against more senior opponents and works methodically to pave the best way forward for his clients."
"An absolutely fantastic advocate who works well with clients and solicitors. He's incredibly knowledgeable and approachable."
"He is extremely calm, he is decisive, he's very good with the clients and diplomatic but will stand their ground. A very safe pair of hands for the most tricky children cases."
"Michael is a fantastic individual to work with. He holds his own against more senior opponents and works methodically to pave the best way forward for his clients."
"An absolutely fantastic advocate who works well with clients and solicitors. He's incredibly knowledgeable and approachable."
"He is extremely calm, he is decisive, he's very good with the clients and diplomatic but will stand their ground. A very safe pair of hands for the most tricky children cases."
Discover other Barristers at
4PB
Silks (KC)
All Circuits
London (Bar)
