Young Lawyers - Kate Gomery: Happy Fathers Day?

There has been considerable reaction to the Prime Ministers comments about "runaway fathers" made to coincide with Fathers Day this year. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph Mr Cameron called for such men to be "stigmatised" and the "full force of shame heaped upon them".

Obviously I can't defend all fathers (and wouldn't want to) but the majority of my current clients are fathers and I feel that the PM's comments unfairly casts many of them in a role which they have not chosen to be.

Despite all being fathers my clients are a mixed bunch; there are fathers who have sole care of their children fathers who have primary care of their children fathers who want to see their children but can't because the mother wont let them fathers who don't see their children because they're in prison and fathers who want to see their children but the Local Authority or the courts have stepped in to prevent contact.