Our work covers all areas of family law, with particular expertise in the following areas:
Call: 2013
'Edward has a razor-sharp knowledge of the law. He never gets ruffled and is very adept at putting clients at ease.'
Chambers UK Bar 2025
Edward’s practice focuses on international disputes concerning children or vulnerable adults.
Edward is one of the editors of the leading practitioner work Clarke Hall & Morrison on Children. He sits on the editorial board of the International Family Law Journal and was its General Editor from 2015 – 2020. He is a member of the Legal Working Group of the leading child abduction charity Reunite and of the Head of International Family Justice’s International Family Law Committee. In 2015, he was named Young Family Law Barrister of the Year at the Jordans (now Lexis Nexis) Family Law Awards. In 2023, he as shortlisted for International Family Lawyer of the Year at those same awards.
Edward previously trained as a solicitor in the London and Prague offices of Allen & Overy LLP. On qualification, he spent a year as the Judicial Assistant to the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Lloyd in the Court of Appeal and a further year as Legal Secretary to the Head of International Family Justice for England & Wales, the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Thorpe.
Outside the bar, Edward spent two years alongside his legal practice as a Research Assistant at the College of Arms.
Edward is also the Registrar of the British Indian Ocean Territory Court of Appeal. To contact the Registry, please email registrarbiotcourtofappeal@harcourtchambers.co.uk.
To instruct Edward or for more information…
Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk
Edward has significant experience in cases of international children cases at first instance and appellate level.
Application by Father for return of his son to the United Arab Emirates. Return refused, in part so that Mother’s allegations of serious domestic abuse could be determined by courts here.
Father’s application for summary return of child from Dubai, and mother’s application for permission to remove child to Dubai.
Case concerning two children who had come across the channel in a small boat without their parents.
Application by father for summary return of children to Poland.
The first successful appeal under The Hague Child Support Convention 2007.
Application by father under inherent jurisdiction for summary return of child to Dubai.
Application by mother for summary return of child to Ukraine. Father’s defences of habitual residence, acquiescence and harm not made out, and return ordered.
Edward represented the successful Applicant mother. Return of child from Slovakia ordered.
Application by step-father for return of children to New Zealand. Leave given to withdraw application.
Proceedings exploring the interplay between adoption and surrogacy law. Case concerning a child born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement in the USA. Judgment considering whether adoption order made in the USA prevents the making of a parental order.
International Child Abduction/Committal Proceedings.
International Child Abduction/consent and grave risk of harm defences.
International Child Abduction/child’s objections
International Child Abduction/role of ‘solicitor-guardians’ in 1980 Hague Convention proceedings.
International Child Abduction/Russian Federation.
Reported in Care Appointments.
International Child Abduction/Ukraine/Lis Pendens.
Oral evidence in child abduction cases.
Costs/International Child Abduction.
Antigua and Barbuda/International Child Abduction.
International child abduction/transnational spousal abandonment.
International child abduction/calculation time period to engage the 1980 Hague Convention settlement ‘defence’.
International child abduction.
International child abduction.
International child abduction.
International child abduction/recognition and enforcement.
Child abduction during the Covid-19 pandemic.
International child abduction.
Child abduction/first reported occasion a child returned to Sudan.
International child abduction.
International child abduction.
Edward has wide-ranging experience of all private law children matters including, serious medical treatment, international child custody, relocation, forced marriage and stranded spouse cases, and international commercial surrogacy.
Appeal by mother from orders providing for father to have supervised contact and for proceedings to be reserved to judge.
International surrogacy/overseas adoption.
Recognition of foreign adoption at common law/human rights.
Fact-Finding/Transnational Spousal Abandonment.
Interim capacity declarations.
International relocation.
Withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Whether there should be police presence at the bedside when withdrawal of treatment is carried out.
Court of Justice of the European Union – international child maintenance.
International relocation – the first international children’s case ever before the courts of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
International commercial surrogacy.
European Custody Convention.
Edward has significant experience representing all parties in public law cases, in particular in relation to child protection cases with an international element, and those where questions of serious medical treatment arise.
Final adoption hearing following leave to oppose having been granted.
Supreme Court appeal about the use of the inherent jurisdiction to authorise secure accommodation for vulnerable children.
Court of Protection and Medical Treatment
Edward has significant experience in representing all parties, including Sovereign States, in Court of Protection cases and cases concerning vulnerable adults.
16/17-year-olds and deprivations of liberty.
Edwards accepts instructions in ecclesiastical law.
Having spent two years at the College of Arms, Edward is one of the few juniors of the bar to have experience of contested peerage and baronetage disputes, including appearing before the Lord Lyon in his non-judicial role.
Edward is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public under the Direct Access Scheme in appropriate circumstances.
'A delight to instruct. Solicitors and clients alike adore him and he commands the respect of the court and his every opponent.'
'He's a trusted voice, who's superb both on paper and in court.'
Chambers UK Bar 2025
‘Edward has an encyclopaedic knowledge of children law. He is a straightforward advocate who is clear and concise in his submissions.’
The Legal 500 UK Bar 2025
"Judges adore him because of his advocacy, which is strictly limited to what the court needs to hear."
Chambers UK Bar 2024
"Edward Bennett’s rise in the family bar has been meteoric since his call in 2013. Clients include UHNWs and celebrities, all of whom have benefited from his advocacy and knowledge of the law. Bennett is a respected legal professional who focuses on international disputes concerning children or vulnerable adults. He trained as a solicitor at Allen & Overy LLP and was named Young Family Law Barrister of the Year in 2015."
Spears Top Recommended 2024, Family Law Barristers
"Edward Bennett is a very fine advocate with unrivalled knowledge of even the most niche areas of children and family law. His presentation is subtle and skilful."
"He provides very clear, efficient, eloquent position statements to the court."
Chambers UK Bar 2024
‘Edward is an excellent advocate. The way he puts his client's case always sounds eminently reasonable, as though it must be the correct outcome, successfully persuading judges and magistrates alike to decide in his client's favour. His written submissions are also second to none.’
The Legal 500 UK Bar 2024
Harcourt Chambers is proud to announce that several of our barristers have been recognised in the Doyle’s Guide 2025, reinforcing our reputation as a leading family law set.
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Many debates around parental responsibility concern fathers and second parents. By way of example, should the law permit a married father to be deprived of his parental responsibility where he…
In Re K (Children) (Application for return orders: Concurrent asylum claims) [2025] EWHC 450 (Fam) and Re K (Children) (No 2) (Application for return orders: best interests decisions) [2025] EWHC 451 (Fam) the High Court…