Children law expert gains official accreditation
Gareth Protheroe, an associate in the family law department at East Midlands firm Nelsons Solicitors, has become a member of the Law Society’s Children Law Accreditation scheme.
Gareth, who qualified as a solicitor in 2014 and joined Nelsons Solicitors in 2016, has been recognised for his high level of expertise in family law and in the representation of children in children law proceedings. In order to attain membership of the scheme, candidates are required to attend a three-day training course and complete a formal application demonstrating knowledge and experience in children law proceedings, followed by an assessment day and interview at the Law Society in London.
Gareth commented: ‘Cases involving children require a special level of sensitivity and specific expertise, so I am really proud to have qualified as a member of the Law Society’s Children Law Accreditation. Being a member of this allows me to represent children in cases—something solicitors without the certification are prohibited from doing.
‘The accreditation recognises my specialism in working out arrangements for children and also promoting their direct interests in court proceedings, including private parental disputes, local authority intervention and the adoption process.’
He added: ‘The process is very thorough but one that ensures that clients can feel confident with my proven competency when it comes to representing children in legal proceedings.’
