2025 Private Child Law Conference (hybrid)

Ruth Kirby KC practices primarily in children and Court of Protection work. She has particular experience in representing high profile families and individuals and of representing very religiously-observant families and families embroiled in political and cross-jurisdictional issues, sometimes with their own Governments.  She deals with all aspects of private and public family law – both domestic and international. Ruth is dual qualified in the Irish Republic and has rights of audience before the Irish courts.  She also is instructed as an expert witness in Irish and European family law cases.

District Judge Philip O’Neill was called to the Bar in 1983. He practiced at 7 Harrington St Chambers where he dealt with Public and Private Children work as well as Financial Remedy work. He was appointed a Full Time District Judge in 2005, sitting at Birkenhead and Liverpool. Since November 2017 Judge O’Neill has sat exclusively at the Family Court in Liverpool where he deals exclusively with Public and Private Children work.

Gemma Thomas is a robust and principled barrister, since her call to the bar in 2010 Gemma has cultivated a busy practice in both family and civil matters. Dealing regularly with issues involving children and finance on divorce Gemma is able to provide clients with a fully rounded service from start to finish. She is experienced in all stages of litigation from first appointment / directions hearings through to contested final hearings.