David Vavrecka

Areas of Practice 

Family Law 

David Vavrecka of Coram Chambers, London, was called to the Bar in 1992. He has always practiced in the area of family law.

David 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.

He is a regular speaker at public conferences, contributor to the College of Law’s Legal Network Television training programmes and involved in the training of expert witnesses. He also acts as an Independent Adjudicator for the Legal Services Commission

Memberships 

Family Law Bar Association

BAAF

Association of Lawyers for Children

Reported cases

• A v National Heath Service Trust v D [2000] 2 FLR 677
  Medical treatment – Child’s best interests- Whether resucitation to be excluded
  
• Gunn-Russ v Nugent Care Society [2002] 1 FLR 1
  Adoption-Disclosure of material on adoption file- General disclosure policy of adoption agency
  
• Re C (Adoption:Religious Observance) [2002] 1 FLR 1119
  Adoption – Cultural and ethnic bacground of child – Religious background of prospective adopters
  
• Re S (A Child)(No 2) [2002] EWCA Civ 1795, [2003] 1 FCR 138
  Child- Residence Order- Welfare – Residence granted to mother with consition preventing her from moving to a different area – Judge treating casde as exceptional
  
• Essex County Council v X & Y [2005] EWHC 16
  Children – Adoption – Care orders
  
• LB Haringey & LB Hackney v Mrs S and Others [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
  
• Re H (A Child) [2007] EWCA 392 (Civ)
  Care proceedings – Admission of fresh evidence – Ordering viability assessments
• EH v London Borough of Greenwich & Ors [2010] EWCA Civ 344 (09 April 2010) - Appeal by mother against care and placement orders. Appeal allowed and proceedings returned for re-hearing by the same judge. The full case can be accessed from Bailii and the case is summarised in Family Law Week today.
• B (A Local Authority) v AM (Case FD08P01576)
  The Court considered the issue as to whether the court on an application for a care order in respect of a young person aged 17 with lifelong disabilities should transfer the case to the Court of Protection to be dealt with under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 rather than the Children Act 1989.
• FL v Registrar General [2010] EWHC 3520
  A 63 year-old woman applied for disclosure of information from the Registrar General concerning her adopted father’s birth family. Application refused. http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed80346
• R v A Local Authority & Others [2011] EWCA Civ 1451, Court of Appeal
  The President gave the leading judgment in a case where the Court of Appeal considered the appropriate test when there is an application for a second expert opinion following a single joint expert being instructed; it should be decided on the merits by reference to the criteria set out in the Overriding Objective, the Practice Direction and the Family Procedure Rules 2010. In each case it is a matter of judgment, and the critical questions remain, "Do I need this report in order to enable me to deal justly with the case? What will the additional expert add to the case?"