Free Hybrid Seminar – Vulnerability Revisited

This seminar will revisit vulnerability with a focus on neurodivergent parents and children, as well as care-experienced parents, and how they are overrepresented in care proceedings. The panel will also examine their particular vulnerabilities, and how participation needs are overlooked and misunderstood.

This seminar aims to provide insight for participants in the family justice system and practical tips on how to effectively support clients.

Speakers

Amanda Meusz, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Amanda’s practice focuses on representing  vulnerable parties in complex public law children cases and complex high conflict private law cases including disputes in relation to medical treatment and the provision of services for children with disabilities. She is regularly instructed in cases of involving serious NAI, child death, FII and child sexual abuse. Amanda has developed an innovative trauma informed and trauma responsive approach to the representation of vulnerable clients. She regularly provides training to participants in the family justice system on the impact of trauma and how to ensure effective participation. She is committed to providing a trauma responsive approach to survivors of domestic abuse, to members of marginalised communities and to care experienced parents. Amanda is regularly nominated for awards she  won Family Law Case of the Year at the Family Law Awards 2022. She acted for the children’s guardian in the Supreme Court case of H-W (Children) (No 2) [2022] UKSC 17. Amanda won a award for  Mentor of the Year in Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2026. Amanda is a champion and mentor for Lawyers Who Care, the UK’s first mentoring organisation for care-experienced aspiring lawyers.

Alia Lewis, Partner, TV Edwards 
Alia Lewis is a partner, head of public children law at TV Edwards and has established their Neurodiversity Aware family law team. She is also a Chambers UK ranked DEI Champion, who specialises in representing neurodivergent children and adults in complex child protection cases and is committed to upholding the rights of neurodivergent individuals within family proceedings. Alia’s interest in this area stems from her lived experience as mum to her autistic son. Alongside her casework, Alia aims to reform the family justice system via FLANC (Family Law Advice for the Neurodivergent Community), a multi award winning cross firm working group, of which Alia is a co-founding member. FLANC is dedicated to ensuring that the neurodivergent community has equal access to justice by addressing barriers to participation in family proceedings and dispute resolution. In 2023, Alia won legal aid lawyer of the year for children’s rights in recognition of this work.

Reserve your ticket
In-person tickets are limited by the venue’s capacity. After you have completed the form, we will be back in touch to confirm whether a place is available at the event.

If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on Wednesday 23 September, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.