Liam Carlen

Qualified in 1999 whilst working at the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).

Prior to NYAS I gained legal experience in Sydney, Australia, undertaking Immigration Law Guardian and, slightly less glamorously, in Speke, Liverpool with a general practice!

Being a specialist organisation engaged in the representation of, and litigation on behalf of children, my Training Contract was split between NYAS and Mace and Jones (Liverpool), where I did seats in Wills and Trusts and Commercial Property.

Virtually since the outset of my formal legal career, I have specialised in the representation of children, which is my main interest and focus. Having worked at other firms, Hogans is the ideal practice, with the nature and quality of work undertaken and the calibre of my colleagues doing it!

As an early specialist in the separate representation of children in Private Law proceedings, I gave a presentation on the English system of representing children, to the Child Law sub-committee of the European Commission in Brussels.

During my earlier practice, I also undertook some Education Law work and was a regular contributor to the Guardian's education column, answering reader's legal questions on the subject.

I enjoy the challenges which representing children brings, although these are often made somewhat easier with the support and humour of my Hogan's colleagues. I also enjoy the advocacy that goes hand in hand with the work we do and I have appeared in Courts from the High Court in London, to the slightly smaller, but no less salubrious, Llangefni County Court!