Family Law

Sir Andrew McFarlane has been appointed President of the Family Division, following the retirement of Sir James Munby.

Sir Andrew was appointed a recorder in 1995, a deputy High Court judge in 2000 and a High Court judge in the Family Division in 2005.

He co-wrote Children Law and Practice which coincided with the enactment of the Children Act 1989 in 1991, and he has been noted for his speeches and lectures on all aspects of child law.

His expertise resulted in his selection as the only legal member of the Family Justice Review (Norgrove) and as the judicial representative for the current sector-led review financed by the Nuffield. The review is due to report this summer.

He has held or holds leadership posts including chairman of the Family Law Bar Association, chairman of the Clergy Discipline Commission and President of the Clergy Disciplines Tribunals. He was Family Division liaison judge for the Midland circuit until his appointment as a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2011 where he is the Supervising Lord Justice for family cases.