Lesley Tapson

Called 1982

LLB (Newcastle)

Main Areas of Practice

Children and Family

Professional Memberships

FLBA
ALC

Profile

Lesley Tapson is a specialist family law practitioner who deals exclusively with cases involving children. She regularly represents local authorities, parents and children in the High Court, and County Courts. Lesley also represents children as well as parents in private law proceedings.

Children and Family

The majority of Lesley's practice is in the public law arena. She has extensive experience in sensitive and complex cases involving child protection issues including alleged sexual abuse and non accidental injuries of children. She also represents parents in private law residence and contact proceedings. She has lectured on the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on family law, and gives regular seminars to local authorities on the presentation of evidence.

Notable Cases

Re C (Children)(Residential Assessment) [2001] EWCA Civ 1305. Relating to the challenge by a local authority to the suitability of a particular assessment centre. The court examined the basis upon which the authority had sought to challenge the selection of the particular centre and the sufficiency of the evidence upon which it relied at the original hearing.

Re ZM and OS (Sterilisation: Patient's Best Interests) [2000] 1 FLR 523. Examining whether in the case of a sufferer of Down's Syndrome (who was unable to give her own consent to medical treatment), a hysterectomy could lawfully be performed or whether an alternative intra-uterine device should be used instead.

Lesley is a qualified Public Access barrister.

If you would like any further information regarding Lesley Tapson's practice, please contact her clerks or call +44 (0)20 7405 6114.