Law Society Children’s Panel Accreditation

The Children Panel includes highly skilled lawyers who are experienced in representing children and other parties in public law care proceedings under the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Members can also represent parents, grandparents and other adult parties in public law proceedings.

In order to become panel members, practitioners must have a minimum of three years’ experience as a solicitor or legal executive, have attended an intensive training course run by an approved provider, submitted an application covering all aspects of children law practice to the Law Society for grading by independent practitioners, been interviewed by two assessors, and been the subject of a Criminal Records Bureau check. Every five years, practitioners must renew their panel membership under the re-accreditation process.

The Law Society panels are designed to promote high standards in legal service provision and ensure that consumers can easily identify practitioners with proven competency in given areas of law. Panel members maintain relevant standards of competency and expertise by means of periodic reselection, re-accreditation and re-authorisation.