Kevin Skinner

In 2024, Kevin was nominated as International Family Lawyer of the Year at the Family Law Awards.

In July 2013, Kevin was awarded Outstanding Newcomer in the field of Children Law by the Association of Lawyers for Children. In the same year he was a finalist for Family Law Young Solicitor of the Year at the Jordan Family Law Awards.

• Newcastle City Council v JK (Mother) & Ors [2025] EWHC 1767 (Fam)
• Y (The Father) v Y (The Mother) (Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985, Re) [2025] EWHC 1598 (Fam)
• Z (A Child), Re [2025] EWCA Civ 594
• A & Ors (Care Proceedings: Inherent Jurisdiction: Order for Return to Austria), Re [2024] EWFC 178
• M v F [2024] EWHC 1689 (Fam)
• A & Ors (Case Proceedings: 1996 Hague Convention: Habitual Residence) [2024] EWFC 110
• WB v VM [2024] EWHC 302 (Fam)
• Mother v Father & Ors [2023] EWHC 2728 (Fam)
• Re H [2023] EWCA Civ 995 (burial rights)
• SA v AA (Rev1) [2023] EWHC 2016 (Fam) (02 August 2023)
• Re:  X (Child: Deprivation of Liberty: Lack of Placement), [2023] EWHC 3416 (Fam)
• Mother v Father & Ors [2023] EWHC 2728 (Fam)
• A Mother v A Father & Ors [2023] EWHC 2059 (Fam)
• H (A Child) [2023] EWCA Civ 995 (04 July 2023)
• Re K & S (Article 13(b) [2023] EWHC 1883 (Fam)
• ADK v ASI [2022] EWHC 2610 (Fam)
• Re KM (A child)(Jurisdiction: Habitual Residence) [2022] EWFC 132
• Re: AA v BB & Ors (Hague Convention: Rights of Custody) [2022] EWHC 2322 (Fam)
• Re: IK (A Child) (Hague Convention: Evidence Consent) [2022] EWHC 396 (Fam)
• A Local Authority v M & Ors. [2022] EWHC 81
• A Local Authority v DZ & Ors [2022] EWHC 3705 (Fam)
• AD v BD (financial remedies appeal) [2021] EWFC B48 (21 July 2021)
• Re:  M (Children) (Abduction: Joinder of Children) [2021] EWHC 635 (Fam) (22 January 2021)
• Re X (Number 4: Religious Differences: Shared Care) [2019] EWFC B81 (11 September 2019)
• Button v Salama & Anor [2019] EWHC 363 (Fam)
• CQ, DQ & EQ (Children), Re [2018] EWHC 3979 (Fam)
• Re: Y (Children) (Radicalisation) (Finding of Fact 2) [2016] EWHC 3825 (Fam)
• Re: B (A Minor: Habitual Residence) [2016] [2016] EWHC 2174 (Fam)
• Re G [2016] EWCA Civ 297
• Re M (A Child) [2015] EWFC 71
• Re R (A Child) [2015] EWCA Civ674
• SR (A Child: habitual residence) [2015] EWHC 742 (Fam)
• EG v JG [2013] EW Misc 21 (CC) (01 December 2013)
• Re G (A Minor); Re Z (A Minor) [2013] EWHC 134 (Fam)
• Re J (A Child) (Learning Disabled Parent) [2013] EWHC B14 (Fam) (13 March 2013)
• Re J (A Child) (Learning Disabled Parent) [2012]
• LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)
• A London Borough v M (Rickets) [2012]
• Re PW (Adoption) [2012] EWHC 3793 (FAM)

• Burial of a child—letters of administration granted to special guardians (Re H (a child)), LexisNexis, 2023
• What issues do local authorities face when trying to find appropriate placements? LexisNexis, 14 January 2014
• The Hague Convention and the article 13 defence, LexisNexis, 3 June 2013
• Without notice applications and litigants in persons, LexisNexis, 9 December 2013
• Enforcement by way of committal proceedings, LexisNexis, 30 July 2013
• Court examines the rights of biological, but not legal, parents, LexisNexis, 11 February 2013
• Court of Appeal halts adoption proceedings in Vitamin D deficiency case, LexisNexis, 5 October 2012
• Adoption, public policy and integrity; Re PW: – Jordan Family Law, May 2012, volume 42, page 577
• Confidentiality in Children Cases after Doncaster MBC V Haigh – Jordan Family Law, December 2011, volume 41, page 1348
• Family Law: Court Considers Request to Disclose Details of Proceedings, LexisNexis, 4 October 2011
• The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007: Two Years On – Jordan Family Law, January 2011, volume 41, Page 76

• International Bar Association (IBA)
• Commonwealth Lawyers Association
• Resolution
• Association of Children Lawyers (ALC)
• Member of the Organising Committee of the Quality Circle in Sussex
• Ex-executive Committee of Child Abduction Lawyers Association (CALA)
• Amnesty International

• “Kevin Skinner knows everything about international family law cases. He acts for parents and children and has been involved in some of the key cutting edge cases.”

Legal 500, 2025

• “Kevin is a master tactician and very well-regarded for international children work.”
• “His breadth of experience allows him to look at the case from all angles and he really fights for his clients.”
• “He is extremely thorough, provides sound legal advice, has excellent client care skills and is exceptional in applying legal principle.”
• “Kevin shows excellent judgement in his cases, knowing which arguments will be most effective.”
• “He is highly committed to his clients and pursues their cases ferociously and with total commitment.”
• “Kevin‘s written advocacy is absolutely brilliant and on par with leading counsel.”
• “He deals with the most complex work and does it brilliantly.”
• “He is absolutely magnificent.”
• “Kevin is a big name in the field and has expertise in more than one heavyweight area of public law.”
• “Kevin is very popular with clients and really knows this area of law.”

Chambers and Partners, 2025

• “Kevin Skinner is genuinely interested in his cases and has a reputation for being involved in the very biggest cases. Kevin also has a particular expertise in cross-border work.”
• “Kevin Skinner is absolutely brilliant at what he does and gets his clients to the best place he can as quickly as possible.”
• “Kevin can really cut through things and see the end goal. He is a strategist who is planning how to resolve a case from the early stages.”
• “He knows the law inside out and is quite a persuasive advocate.”

The Legal 500, 2024

• “Kevin Skinner has a wide-ranging children law practice with significant experience in cross-border work. He frequently advises on jurisdictional and relocation disputes as well as international abduction and care proceedings that have international aspects.”
• “Kevin Skinner is noted for his significant presence in public law, taking on complex cases such as domestic and cross-border care proceedings involving serious allegations of abuse, criminal behaviour and radicalisation.”
• “Kevin is really good at understanding where the important aspect of the case is and directs his efforts towards that rather than less important matters.”
• “He knows the law inside out and is quite a persuasive advocate.”
• “Kevin can really cut through things and see the end goal. He is a strategist who is planning how to resolve a case from the early stages.”

Chambers and Partners, 2024

• “Kevin Skinner is noted for his significant presence in public law, taking on complex cases such as domestic and cross-border care proceedings involving serious criminal proceedings. His expertise also covers abuse and radicalisation allegations and Hague Convention proceedings such as abduction cases.”

The Legal 500, 2023

• “His preparation, commitment to running client cases and the way he navigates cases is incredible to watch. Kevin is really dedicated and driven.”
• “Kevin Skinner is highly experienced with litigation – so can be relied on to take decisions about how to run a case including all the practicalities involved with appeals and applications. His knowledge of the law and judgments of the merits is also so sure that it is a pleasure to work with him. This is not a statement I would offer for many of my instructing solicitors.”
• “He is extraordinarily committed to his client; he’s able to build a very good empathy with clients and get the best from them.” “Kevin is always cool, calm, collected and gives clients good, no-nonsense advice.” “He is a big name in children law matters and he has great instincts.”
• “His preparation, commitment to running client cases and the way he navigates cases is incredible to watch. Kevin is really dedicated and driven.”
• “Kevin has a really good skill at being able to suss out if something is not quite right. He is also very empathetic towards the clients.”

Chambers and Partners, 2023

• “An intellectually and emotionally intelligent lawyer with a very broad range of experience in all types of children work. He is unafraid to fight his client’s corner if it’s in their best interest.”

Chambers and Partners, 2022

• “Kevin has a keen intellect and is a great strategist. He is also very skilled at giving difficult advice to vulnerable clients to ensure that their position is protected as much as possible.”

Chambers and Partners, 2021

• “Kevin Skinner – clever, kind, humane and very, very good. He’s tactically excellent, gives spot on advice, supports clients in the toughest of corners and is an all-round star.”

The Legal 500, 2021

• “He’s kind, patient and clever and has all the qualities that you would want in someone representing you at the hardest time of your life. He’s incredibly supportive of his clients.”

Chambers and Partners, 2020

• “Kevin Skinner is the standout performer for me. He is in the biggest cases, acting on really heavy cases involving issues like forced marriage, abduction and adoption. His client base is international, and he is always in demand. I see him rising to the top.”

The Legal 500, 2020

• “Kevin Skinner is a marvel. Instantly reassuring and personable with clients from any background, he is a versatile individual who will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the best possible outcome. His written work is exceptional and he is an excellent communicator, which is a skill that bring an edge to any case he touches.”

The Legal 500, 2019