Samuel Larner

Public Law

Samuel is regularly instructed to act for the local authority, parents, intervenors, and children in public law proceedings. Work undertaken includes:

• Interim care orders (including urgent hearings)
• Contested interim removals (including urgent hearings)
• Part 25 applications for assessment in a Parent and Baby Unit and instruction of various experts (including cognitive assessments, ISW, and intermediaries)
• Determining Parental Responsibility and seeking Declarations of Parentage
• Special Guardianship Orders and discharge of Special Guardianship Orders
• Determining capacity to conduct proceedings
• Care and Placement Orders
• Exclusion orders
• Joint criminal and family directions hearings

Samuel was led in a nine-day composite hearing by Patricia Pratt representing the children, where significant non-accidental injury was found.

Additionally, Samuel has gained experience in drafting in the following areas:

• Advice in support of an extension to a public funding certificate for the instruction of two junior counsel; and
• Advice in support of making a Supervision Order alongside a Special Guardianship Order.

Recent cases include:

• Representing the mother in a multi-day welfare hearing where the local authority sought to remove children because of the mother’s alcohol abuse. Successfully highlighted inadequacies in the local authority’s approach and the children were able to remain in their mother’s care.
• Representing the father in a five-day final hearing where the mother contested the local authority’s final care plan, but the father did not because of his previous sexual offending.
• Representing the father through to IRH/EFH where domestic abuse and drug use were in issue.

Private Law

Samuel is experienced in the full range of private law hearings, including application hearings, return hearings, directions hearings, PTR and contested final hearings. Samuel has also conducted several hearings under the Child Focussed Courts (previously Pathfinder) model. Samuel is frequently instructed in cases where an interpreter is required.

Samuel is increasingly being instructed to represent parties in proceedings where the parties are same-sex.

Samuel is regularly instructed to act for both applicants and respondents in family law act proceedings at both on-notice and ex parte hearings.

Samuel has undertaken work in the following areas:

• Child Arrangements Orders
• Prohibited Steps Orders (including removal from jurisdiction)
• Special Issues Orders (including relocation to another country, and change of surname)
• Enforcement of CAO
• Contested final hearings where findings of parental alienation/alienating behaviours are alleged
• Contested final hearings where findings of sexual assault and coercive controlling behaviour are alleged
• Non-molestation orders
• Domestic abuse protection orders
• Occupation orders

Recent cases include:

• Representing the applicant mother at a three-day finding of fact hearing where the mother alleged multiple sexual assaults, coercive control and domestic abuse. The Court made all findings against the respondent father.
• Representing the applicant father, based in another jurisdiction, who’s former partner unilaterally kept the children in England and ceased contact.
• Representing the applicant father in CAO proceedings where the father was under 18 years of age.
• Representing the respondent mother at a multi-day finding of fact hearing where police disclosure was withheld. Successfully argued for an adjournment.
• Representing the applicant mother at a four-day finding of fact hearing, where the mother made allegations against the father of sexual assault, coercive control, domestic abuse and physical assault of her and her children.
• Representing the local authority (non-party) when the Court was considering making an interim care order.

• Bar Practice Course, University of Law, 2024 (Outstanding)
• Graduate Diploma in Law, University of Law, 2022 (Distinction)
• PhD Forensic Linguistics, Aston University, 2013
• MA Forensic Linguistics, Cardiff University, 2005 (Distinction)
• BA (Hons) Linguistics, Lancaster University, 2003 (2.i)

• Finalist, Times 2TG Moot, 2024
• Finalist, Advocacy Scholar’s Moot (University of Law), 2023
• Finalist, Cooper Lohmus Prize, 2023
• Advocacy Scholarship, University of Law, 2022
• Bar Course Award Exhibition Scholarship, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, 2022
• GDL Exhibition Award, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, 2020
• Career Changers Scholarship, University of Law, 2020

• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
• The Family Law Bar Association
• The Northern Circuit