Training Webinars
International Child Abduction: A Guide to the 1980 Hague Convention, Non-Hague Cases, and Article 21 Rights of Access/cross border contact
11th December 2025, 4.30pm-6pm
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Join Kim Lehal, a partner at RWK Goodman, Jessica Lee, a barrister at 1GC | Family Law and Paige Campbell, a barrister at Harcourt Chambers for a comprehensive webinar for Family Law Week, focusing on the critical topic of international child abduction.
The session will present the legal framework established by the 1980 Hague Convention, examine child abduction cases outside the Convention’s remit, and explore Article 21 of the Convention relating to rights of access and cross-border contact.
The objectives of this webinar are:
- To provide a foundational overview of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
- To discuss the legal landscape and practical considerations in non-Hague Convention child abduction cases.
- To clarify the operation of Article 21 of the Hague Convention (rights of access and cross-border contact).
- To offer practical guidance for practitioners handling cross-border family disputes.
Time will be allocated for delegate questions at the end of the webinar and access to the webinar and slides will be provided following the webinar.
How to join the webinar
Details to join the webinar will be sent on completion of the registration form.
Presenters
Kim Lehal
Kim Lehal is a Partner and Head of the International Children department at RWK Goodman in London. An accredited specialist in International Child Abduction and Children Law by the Law Society Family Law Advanced panel since 2013, Kim is a highly regarded expert committed to supporting families through complex international legal challenges.
She specialises in acting exclusively on all aspects of international and domestic children law, including international child abduction, relocation proceedings, and complex family disputes. Kim also advises on surrogacy and adoption, domestic abuse, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and represents victims of honour-based violence and abandoned spouses in foreign jurisdictions.
Recognised as a leader in her field with appearances in leading legal directories, Kim has been involved in several landmark cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and is regularly invited to speak on her journey and her experiences as an industry leader and contribute to leading legal and national publications on family law matters.
Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee is a specialist children law barrister practicing at 1GC Family Law she has extensive experience in international child abduction and cross-border contact cases. She appears in the High Court in complex proceedings involving Hague and non-Hague convention countries, wardship, and applications under the inherent jurisdiction.
Jessica has advised on international family law reform and maintains strong global links, she is a member of the commonwealth lawyers association and has professional links with Antigua and Barbuda.
Jessica was the Member of Parliament for Erewash 2010 – 2015, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP. Whilst in Parliament, Jessica was able to raise awareness on important issues of family law, holding debates on issues such as updating the law on surrogacy and adoption reforms.
Paige Campbell
Paige Campbell:
Paige is an award-winning barrister at Harcourt Chambers, having received the ‘highly commended’ award in the Young Barrister of the Year Category in 2021 and 2023. She was also ‘highly commended’ in the Case of the Year category at the Family Law Awards in 2021 where she was led as a junior in the Supreme Court case of G v G [2021] UKSC 9. Accordingly, Paige is experienced acting alone and as junior counsel. Paige specialises in all aspects of child law, both private and public as well as international. Paige has experience acting on behalf of clients at all stages of proceedings including in complex, multi-day fact-finding hearings, final hearings and in international cases in the High Court. Paige adopts a pragmatic approach tailored to each of her client’s needs utilising her skill for negotiation and clear, composed and empathetic advocacy at appropriate times. Paige is also a certified ADR-ODR civil-commercial mediator. In addition to her court work, Paige has a keen interest in widening participation and is actively involved in mentoring, and giving talks to, young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds and sits as a trustee for an education charity. Paige is currently a member of the South-Eastern Circuit executive committee.
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