Family Law
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Family & Childcare Department
The Family and Childcare Department deals with all aspects of Family Law, representing parents, children, other family members and interveners who are based in the UK and worldwide, in proceedings across England & Wales in all levels of Court from Magistrates right the way up to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
At GT Stewart, we know that matters concerning family and private life are the most sensitive to deal with, which is why our experienced family team will listen to your concerns, wishes and feelings, and work to get you the best outcome to suit your needs. Please get in touch so we can set out how we are able to help you.
We offer services to both private paying and legal aid clients in the following areas of law:
- Public Law Children (involvement with Social Services)
- Private Law Children Advice
- Matrimonial & Relationship Advice
- Domestic Abuse & Personal Protection
Our Department, and individual lawyers, have been acknowledged in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, and the Times Best Law Firms:
Our Department, and individual lawyers, have been acknowledged in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, and the Times Best Law Firms:
- 2025 – Chambers & Partners: Department Ranking – Band 3 – Family/Children Law: Public Law Matters (UK-wide)
- 2025 & 2026 – Legal 500; Department Ranking – Leading Firm; Tier 3 | Southeast – Private Client; Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- 2026 – Legal 500; Department Ranking – Leading Firm; Tier 6 | London – Private Client; Family: Children
- 2025 – The Times – Department Ranking – Best Law Firm: Family Law
- 2024 – Department Ranking – Legal 500 Firms to Watch in Family Law
We have particular strength and specialities in the following areas:
- Complex Care proceedings involving:
- The death of a child;
- Shaken Baby allegations;
- Genetic disorders mimicking child abuse;
- Non-accidental injuries (NAI) including head injuries (NAHI), fractures and bruising;
- Sexual abuse;
- Fabricated Induced Illness (FII);
- Cases where there are concurrent criminal proceedings;
- Complex Private Law children proceedings where the child or children are separately represented through a Cafcass Children’s Guardian.
- Child Abduction including cases through the International Child Abduction & Contact Unit [ICACU]
- Representation of neurodivergent clients, vulnerable clients, those with learning difficulties, ethnic minority backgrounds and foreign nationals.
Please consider a recent Article by Max Konarek, one of our joint Heads of the Department about what you should consider when choosing a lawyer to represent you – The article can be read HERE
- Care Proceedings (Care & Supervision Orders)
- Emergency Protection Orders
- Pre-proceedings meetings (receipt of “Letter before Proceedings”)
- Placement Order
- Adoption
- Children in Need (CHIN)
- Child Protection Conferences
- Secure Accommodation Order
- Deprivation of Liberty Orders (DOLs)
- Recovery Order
- Contact with a child in Care
- Special Guardianship Orders
- Discharge of Care Order
- Wardship – Inherent Jurisdiction Applications in the High Court
- Kinship Assessments, Viability Assessment and Connected Persons Assessments
As Department as well as individuals we have been recognised and acknowledged in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and the Times Best Law Firms:
- Celebrating Family Department success in the 2026 Legal 500 UK rankings!
- GT Stewart achieves outstanding recognition in 2026 Legal 500 UK rankings
- Macmillan Coffee Morning
- Successful care proceedings representation leads to children returning home
- Interim care order challenge results in baby’s return to parents
- Zoe Brettle joins GT Stewart’s Birmingham office as Head of Team and Supervising Solicitor
- Feedback Friday: Aleksandra Kwiatkowska
- Forced Marriage Protection Orders – always as sinister as they sound?
- Successful outcome in care proceedings in non-accidental injury case
- Feedback Friday: Leah Salmon-Thompson
- Successful outcome in complex non-accidental injury case
- Successful Outcome in Care Proceedings 3
- Feedback Friday: Geoffrey Castello
- Sacha’s case named ‘Case of the Year at the Family Law Awards 2024’!
- Recognising Excellence: Harriet George
- GT Stewart are very pleased to be included again in The Times Best Law Firms 2025
- Max Konarek, Partner at GT Stewart Solicitors, Publishes New Article: Choosing the Right Solicitor
- Max Konarek, One of the Family Childcare Partners at GT Stewart Solicitors, Considers the Law Around Exoneration in Family Proceedings
- Successful Outcome in Care Proceedings 2
- GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates: Every Client Matters
- Max Konarek, Partner at GT Stewart Solicitors, Has Had an Article The Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Services (SIHIS) Impact on Care Proceedings Published in the Online Edition
- Max Konarek, Partner at GT Stewart Solicitors, Has Had an Article Keeping Care Proceedings Fair Published in the New Law Journal
- Max Konarek, Partner at GT Stewart Solicitors, Reflects Briefly on the Department for Education’s Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Service (SIHIS) Held on 25 July 2024
- Ryan Booth, Joint Head of Family Child Care, Acts for Father in Reported Case Where Child Returned Home
- Max Konarek, Partner and Joint Head of the Family Childcare Department at GT Stewart, Reflects on the Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Service Pilots in a Recent Article for the Solicitors Journal
- Partner and Joint Head of the Family Childcare Department, Max Konarek, Has Been Quoted This Week in the New Law Journal
- Max Konarek, Joint Head of the Family Child Care Department, Has Collaborated with the Intermediary Service Communicourt for a Q&A About the Importance of Intermediaries
- Max Konarek, Joint Head of the Family Childcare Department, Considers Further the Information About the Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Service (SIHIS) Pilots
- Ryan Booth Successfully Represents a Father in Care Proceedings Surrounding Non-Accidental Injuries
- Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Pilot (SIHIP)
- Congratulations to Kristin Sharp for Winning the Junior Lawyer of the Year Award
- Successful Application to Re-Open Previous Fact-Finding Hearing
- Recognition for GT Stewart’s Family Department in Kent at Kent Law Society 2024 Awards
- GT Stewart are Pleased to Announce That Bretherton Law in St Albans Joined the GT Stewart Group of Law Firms on 27 March 2024
- Our Client Provides High Praise to Sadie Young-Browne and Max Konarek on a Long-Standing Care Proceedings Case with a Neurodivergent Client
- Kristin Sharp is a Rising Star in Our Family Childcare Department
- Silks Solicitors & GT Stewart
- GT Stewart Support Kent Law School
- Press Release: GT Stewart Advocates Continue Expansion in the South East
- Exclusive Trusted Magazine Q&A with Kristin Sharp, Legal Executive at GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates
- 2 New Partners Join GT Stewart to Head Up Our Family and Care Teams
2023
- Yorkshire Legal Awards – Trainee of the Year (Ravi Rathore)
2024
- Kent Law Society Awards – Junior Lawyer of the Year (Kristin Sharp)
- Yorkshire Legal Awards – Finalist in the Family Law Firm of the Year category (Department)
- Lexis Nexis Family Law Awards – Case of the Year (Sacha Hall)
2025
- Kent Law Society Awards:
- Excellence in Leadership – Winner; Ryan Booth
- Excellence in Leadership – Finalist; Max Konarek
- Legal Hero – Finalist; Max Konarek
- Legal Hero – Finalist; Ryan Booth
- Pillar of Justice – Finalist; Alison Barar
- Pillar of Justice – Finalist; Ashley Smith
“The ‘strong, dynamic team’ at GT Stewart Limited is noted for its capabilities with the most complex care proceedings, taking on matters involving non accidental injuries, abuse, and those with concurrent criminal proceedings; it has additional experience supporting neurodivergent clients.” – Legal 500 Editorial commentary
“This team are totally committed to client care. Often going above and beyond for individuals who are facing the toughest time.”
“GT Stewart is a really strong, dynamic team. Led by Ryan Booth and Max Konarek, there is a real emphasis on personal growth and support within the team. They handle all manner of cases, including the most complex and serious. The solicitors really do go above and beyond to ensure their clients’ cases have been fiercely put.”
“GT Stewart Limited‘s children law team, led by Max Konarek and Ryan Booth, has expertise in advising on complex public care proceedings, including non-accidental injury cases. Charlotte Burns represents children through their Guardians, conducts her own advocacy and serves as a duty solicitor in the Central and East London family courts.” – Legal 500 Editorial commentary
“Ryan Booth and Max Konarek are paving the way in terms of a modern family legal team. Growing very quickly, handling some of the most complex matters, and regularly instructing Kings Counsel.”
“The family team at GT Stewarts stands out – they provide outstanding support and professionalism when it comes to their cases and handle their clients with compassion. Everyone in their team is a strong performer. The ethic within in the group is collaborative and team-focused.”
“GT Stewart’s Family Law team has developed in prominence rapidly over the last two years. They have a growing reputation which has been strengthened by their particular expertise in public law matters, and a particular specialism is complex cases of non-accidental injury to children.”
Please meet our Joint Head of the Family & Childcare Department
Max Konarek
Max is a specialist Child Protection Solicitor and is accredited on the Law Society’s Children Panel. He represents clients based in the UK and Worldwide.
His experience extends to cases that include the death of a child, shaken baby allegations, non-accidental injuries, sexual abuse, Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) in all levels of Court from the County Court to the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Max has a particular interest in representing clients that are neurodivergent, vulnerable adults with learning difficulties or disabilities (including those where the Official Solicitor has become involved), foreign nationals, clients from the Romany Gypsy and Travelling communities.
View Max’s full profile here.
Max can be contacted – m.konarek@gstewart.co.uk
Ryan Booth
Ryan is a highly experienced and well-respected Child Protection Solicitor and is an Accredited Member of the Law Society’s Children’s Panel. He has over 14 years of experience representing Children through their Children’s Guardian, Parents and Family members. His expertise extends to advising parties on behalf of the Official Solicitor.
He represents clients nationally in the UK and worldwide specialising in complex child protection care proceedings and has experience of a variety of cases including sexual abuse, child trafficking, paedophile rings, shaken baby and non-accidental injuries.
Ryan’s full profile can be viewed here.
Ryan can be contacted – r.booth@gtstewart.co.uk
Our Department
We have a large department made up of a number of specialist fee earners who are ably supported by a combination of our expert administrators, secretaries, paralegals and caseworkers; all representing clients based nationwide in the following teams:
📍 Bretherton Team (St Albans)
📍 East Dulwich Team (South London)
📍 Eskinazi Team (North London)
📍 FMW Team (West London)
📍 Hudgell Team (East London)
📍 Kent Team
📍 Leeds Team
📍 McGrath Team (Birmingham)
📍 Silks Team (Oldbury, Black Country)
In addition to our teams being based in the above locations, we have access to all of our other offices nationwide and regularly see clients there too, or remotely when required. We offer a service to clients both in the UK and abroad in a variety of types of family cases.
You can find more information about our family department here.
Family Law
Chambers 2025
Our expert solicitors are ready to help
GT Stewart has established itself as a leading firm in the UK for criminal, housing, mental health and family law, specialising in private cases and also Legal Aid work.
We pride ourselves on regular referrals from other firms and agencies
We are known for our tenacity when representing those engaged in challenging the State or defending themselves against a prosecution.
Our UK offices
We provide legal advice throughout the UK. Click on the office links below to learn more about your local team of solicitors and how they can support you.
