Children and Family Finance & Property

David Vavrecka is an experienced barrister, with expertise across all areas of both domestic and international proceedings involving children.  This includes care and adoption proceedings, as well as abduction proceedings.  He has expertise in lengthy and complex care proceedings, including those involving parallel criminal proceedings. He has acted a number of times for parents accused of killing their partner or child. 

He regularly acts for parents and children, as well as local authorities.  His High Court work has included representing NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) and cases with an international element.

David was a contributor to the mental health seminars held by MDAC (Mental Disability Advocacy Centre) in the Czech Republic in 2002 and is also a contributor to Butterworth’s Older Client Law Service and Sweet & Maxwell’s Human Rights Practice. He participates in the Royal College of Medicine’s expert witness training courses and is a regular contributor to the Einstein Legal Network Television and the College of Law’s Legal Network Television training programmes.  He is also a regular speaker at public conferences.

Re H (A Child) [2007] EWCA 392 (Civ)
Care proceedings – Admission of fresh evidence – Ordering viability assessments

Haringey LBC and Hackney LBC v Mrs S and Others [2006] EWHC 2001 (Fam) [2007] 1 FLR 387
Care - Immigration - Placement - Adults with whom child with indefinite leave to remain currently placed due to be removed from jurisdiction - Child vulnerable to further accusations of witchcraft if returned to Angola with mother

Essex County Council v X & Y and Others [2005] EWHC 2498 (Fam)
Children - Adoption - Care orders

Re L (Care Proceedings: Human Rights Claim) [2003] EWHC 665 (Fam)
Care proceedings – Human rights – Appropriate forum for challenging care plan

Re S (A Child) (Residence Order: Condition) (No 2) [2003] 1 FCR 138
Child – Residence Order – Condition – Welfare – Residence granted to mother with condition preventing her from moving to a different area – Judge treating case as exceptional – Whether condition imposed on primary carer valid – Whether judge in error – Children Act 1989, ss 1 and 11(7)

Re C (Adoption: Religious Observance) [2002] 1 FLR 1119
Adoption - Cultural and ethnic background of child - Religious background of prospective adopters

Gunn-Russo v Nugent Care Society and Secretary of State for Health [2002] 1 FLR 1
Adoption - Disclosure of material on adoption file - General disclosure policy of adoption agency

A National Health Service Trust v D [2000] 2 FLR 677
Medical treatment - Child's best interests - Whether resuscitation to be excluded