Callum Brook: Article Published in Family Law Journal
Callum Brook's article, Use of Force in Children's Homes, has been published in the July 2026 issue of Family Law Journal. The article considers...
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‘Callum is an approachable, diligent, and extremely competent barrister. He is calm and authoritative in his approach and his advocacy, he is very knowledgeable and always ready to help, and he goes the extra mile.’
Legal 500, 2026
Strengths: “Callum is really down to earth and very hardworking.”
“Callum has a good manner with the court and is robust in terms of case management. He’s very bright and personable.”
Chambers UK Bar, 2027
Callum is a highly experienced public law practitioner. He has a wide range of expertise and is frequently sought out by local authorities to act in cases involving serious allegations.. He is assiduous in his preparation whilst being approachable to solicitors, professional clients and lay parties. He is regularly instructed to attend before the High Court on complex matters, including cross jurisdictional issues, child deaths, significant injuries, and sexual abuse.
He has appeared in high profile cases involving DOLS and is on hand to provide advice and assist those who instruct him in the complexity of the jurisdiction and whether cases should transfer to the Court of Protection.
A safe pair of hands, Callum is the go to junior for Local Authorities, children and parents alike.
Children (Public and Private law)
Callum is first and foremost a public law specialist. Frequently instructed on the most serious cases, his experience spans complex issues of law, complex issues of fact and welfare disposals dealing with issues such as serious injuries, sexual abuse, and extremism.
He has a notable expertise in the inherent jurisdiction of the high court. He appears in matters relating to Wardship, the return of children to the jurisdiction and Deprivation of Liberty.
Callum is also regularly instructed on behalf of the Children in complex private law proceedings dealing with parental alienation, domestic abuse and sexual abuse.
Reported Cases
JK (Return Order Under Inherent Jurisdiction) [2025] EWCA Civ 1309:
Appeared in the Court of Appeal on the issue of Parens Patriae Return Orders – clarifying the local authority’s role in seeking nationality based return orders. Callum was instructed by Ceri Jones at Allington Hughes. The judgment is available here.
A LA v X & Y and Others: Represented the intervenor child who was capable of giving instructions. These were long running proceedings involving complex issues borne out the five judgments ranging from Oxfordshire arguments, to anonymisation and exclusion of the press. Callum was led by Deirdre Fotterill KC in the first instance for the Oxfordshire Hearing and Sam King KC in the others.
The judgments are available here:
A LA v X & Y and Others (No 1: Determination of Oxfordshire argument)
A LA v X & Y and Others (No 2: Fact-finding)
A LA v X & Y and Others (No 4: Welfare and Reporting of Judgments)
A LA v X & Y and Others (No 5: Transparency order)
MBC v AM & Ors (DOL Orders for Children Under 16) [2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam): Representation of a child where the court considered the ongoing use of the inherent jurisdiction post the enactment of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI2021/161) rendering such placements ‘unlawful’. The court determined that the use of the inherent jurisdiction remain unchanged. The judgment has been published on Bailii.
Wigan BC v Y (Refusal to Authorise Deprivation of Liberty) [2021] EWHC 1982 (Fam): Representation of a child where the court refused to authorise the deprivation of liberty in a hospital setting. The judgment has been published on Bailii.
Notable Cases
Re S 2023: Represented a local authority securing findings of interfamilial sexual assault and rape perpetrated by the father on one of the children; also secured findings of grooming of a non-subject child to the proceedings. Such was the gravity of the evidence heard by the court, additional findings were made in respect of the mother and father’s behaviour towards the children. The father facing the most serious allegations was represented by a Silk and junior.
Re R 2023: Represented a local authority in a complex matter involving findings of honour-based abuse and a plan to force marriage of a child being made against the family.
R M and G [2023]: Represented a local authority in a fact-finding hearing involving extensive phone disclosure and secured allegations that a parent had fabricated allegations of sexual abuse.
R T [2022]: Represented a mother in a DOLS, successfully opposing the confinement of a six-year-old child in residential care on the basis of existing legislation permitting the actions of the local authority.
Re H and C [2022]: Represented a local authority in a long-standing matter that involved the analysis of significant police disclosure, some 58,000 pages, a meeting of the type envisaged by Knowles J in Lancashire County Council v A, B and Z (A Child Fact Finding Hearing Police Disclosure) [2018] EWHC 1819 (Fam) and extensive drafting and re-drafting of findings sought on behalf of the local authority.
Re M [2022]: Successfully resisted findings on behalf of a parent in line with Oxfordshire County Council v DP, RS and BS [2005] EWHC 1593 (Fam), in that they were neither proportionate nor consequential to the local authority’s care planning.
Re L [2019]: Successfully exonerated an intervenor in a case that involved the shaking of a baby, who because of the timing of the child’s presentation kept the intervenor in the pool of perpetrators. The case involved the analysis of the child’s ability to fix and follow as part of their presentation.
Memberships
- FLBA and FLBA Regional Committee Member
- Lincoln’s Inn
Education
- BPTC – Manchester Metropolitan University
- LLB (Hons) – Manchester Metropolitan University
- Vulnerable Witness Advocacy Training
Legal Directory recommendations
Strengths: “Callum Brook is a superb advocate with a great depth of knowledge.” “Callum was excellent both with the clients and also in his communication.” Chambers UK Bar 2026
“Callum is fantastic, intelligent, well-prepared, and unflappable. He is a go-to in complicated cases, he has extensive knowledge in High Court proceedings, and his advocacy is excellent.” Legal 500 2025
Appointments
- Football Association General Safeguarding Review Panel 2026-2029
Publications
- Use of force in children’s homes – [2026] Fam Law 819 (paywall applies)
