Award-winning international children lawyer, joins The International Family Law Group LLP

The International Family Law Group LLP is delighted to announce that James Netto has joined as a partner.

James is a specialist solicitor in domestic and international children law matters; he is highly regarded as an international parental child abduction expert, representing parents and children in Hague and non-Hague abduction matters. He also handles international relocation matters, surrogacy cases and complex parenting disputes. He brings an additional layer of expertise to enhance iFLG’s world-renowned international children team. He was previously at Dawson Cornwell, in London.

In a series of firsts, James was involved in the first 1980 Hague Convention child abduction case between Japan and the UK, the first cases concerning the inherent jurisdiction and the 1996 Hague Convention to reach the UK Supreme Court, the first appeal case to concern the interpretation of Brussels II Revised enforcement provisions, and the first reported cases of children being returned to Algeria and to Sudan.

He has also acted for clients in many high-profile and widely reported appeals, interventions, and committals. James is a regular speaker at conferences and at professional events, in England and around the world.

As an incidental, James is the only specialist international children practitioner called to the Bar of the British Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus, having appeared in what is thought to be the first international children case in that jurisdiction.

James was shortlisted as Young Solicitor of the Year in 2017, and in 2018 he was ‘highly commended’ as Junior Solicitor of the Year at the Law Society Excellence Awards. His work has also been shortlisted at this year’s Legal Week Innovation Awards and Family Law Awards. He is regularly ranked in both Chambers UK and in The Legal 500 for his work in international children matters.

James speaks fluent Spanish and French, and some German.

Ann Thomas, Managing Partner, says:

“We are thrilled to welcome James as a partner to iFLG. His arrival will further enhance our already excellent children team”.

Regarding his appointment, James says:

“I am beyond excited to be part of The International Family Law Group and to be handling some of the world’s most complicated international children cases. I know many of the lawyers very well and look forward to being part of such an exciting and dynamic team”.