Andrew Leong

Andrew has considerable experience representing parents, local authorities and children (either through their guardians or directly) involved in care proceedings, wardship and adoption. He regularly appears in cases involving complex medical or technical evidence relating to serious ill-treatment or endangering of children or where particularly vulnerable clients or cross-jurisdictional issues are concerned.

Notable Public Law Children cases

Fact-finding in public law proceedings, regarding allegations of abuse by Father. Found that he had seriously abused the mother, including coercion and sexual abuse.

Care proceedings concerning one year-old child, issued following concerns over the impact of M’s mental health issues upon her ability to care for the child. Care and placement orders made.

A fact finding hearing in which a young teenager made allegations of physical and sexual abuse by her father and step mother which were found proved.

Application by local authority for declaration of age in relation to child who arrived from Uganda.

Andrew represented the local authority successfully at first instance and on appeal where the appropriate use of tagging orders in care proceedings was considered.

10 month old Hungarian child suffered serious sexual abuse since she was 2 months old – mother sought to return to Hungary with the child and sought transfer of the proceedings to Hungary under Art 15 – Andrew represented the father who had been convicted of sexually abusing the child – the father disclosed that the mother not only knew about the abuse but had also been an active participant in the abuse – technical analysis of the media devices seized from the family home produced evidence of further abuse of the child – the father alleged this had been perpetrated by the mother, which the mother disputed – evidence heard from witnesses in Hungary – findings made that the mother had actively abused the child.

Care proceedings involving family of Timor Leste nationals residing in the UK – parents had proposed family members in Timor Leste as alternative carers for the children – the government of Timor Leste supported the children being placed in Timor Leste and the Timor Leste ambassador to the UK attended the hearing to voice this position – Andrew represented the local authority which did not agree with the parents’ proposal and the stance of the government of Timor Leste and proposed that the children be adopted instead – evidence heard from witnesses in Timor Leste – Andrew successfully persuaded the court to approve the local authority’s plan that the children should be placed for adoption in the UK.

Care proceedings involving allegations of FII – both parents accused of interfering with 14 year old daughter’s diabetes medication – complex technical evidence concerning the different types of medication delivery systems and the different types of diabetes medication – Andrew was junior counsel representing the father who was completely exonerated from all allegations made against him.