Tony McGovern

Director

Tony qualified as a solicitor in 1997 having worked as a legal executive in a London Local Authority for five years. After training he worked in private practice for five years specialising in family law before joining Creighton & Partners in April 2001.

Tony has a vast amount of experience in complex Children Act cases. As well as representing Local Authorities in child care matters, he is a member of the Children Panel and represents children both in child care proceedings and private law proceedings.
Tony can help you with
Child Abduction, Child Adoption, Child Care, Mediation
Location
London Office
Email
info@creighton.co.uk
Phone
020 7976 2233
Accreditations

Tony is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Adoption matters and private Children Act proceedings. He has experience in advising and representing prospective adopters on adoption procedures within England and Wales and also in relation to Intercountry adoptions.

He is also a Resolution Accredited Specialist – Child Abduction ( named as a specialist solicitor on the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit approved list )

Tony strongly believes in alternative dispute resolution and as such he has qualified as a Resolution Mediator and a Collaborative Lawyer. He is able to offer mediation sessions for parting couples to explore options and solutions both in respect of children and finances.

During his spare time he enjoys getting away from London and spending time in the countryside. He also enjoys cooking and keeping fit.

Tony was named as Legal Aid Family Law Lawyer of the year in 2018 by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.

Articles:

‘Sir Andrew McFarlane receives Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year’s Outstanding Achievement award. Tony McGovern, Martha Cover and Dan Rosenberg also win LALYs’
http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed191088

‘Resolution lawyer Tony McGovern celebrated as Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year’
http://www.resolution.org.uk/news-list.asp?page_id=228&page=1&n_id=376

Client Feedback:

“I will be extremely grateful to Mr Tony McGovern for representing me. His kindness has changed our lives, thank you.”

Reported cases:

  1. A London Borough v M [2006] EWHC 1907 (Fam)Placement of a child out of jurisdiction for purposes of adoption
  2. East Sussex County Council v Stedman and Patten [2009] 2 FLR 852Publicity – Material in public domain – ECHR Articles 8 and 10.
  3. W (A Child) [2011] EWCA Civ 1362Appeal by mother against an order approving a care plan that her child be adopted by family friends on the basis that a special guardianship order would be more appropriate in the circumstance. Appeal dismissed.
  4. A & B (Children), Re [2013] EWHC B22 (Fam)The Court decided not to make Care Orders in respect of children and related to the Local Authority not pursuing a finding of fact hearing, and as a result how the case should proceed.
  5.  Re: SS [2014] EWHC 3338 (Fam)
  6.  Re E and others [2014] EWHC 3597 (Fam)
  7. Re Y [2014] EWCA Civ 1553 
  8. London Borough of Barking & Dagenham v SS [2014] EWHC 4436 (Fam)Appeared on behalf of the Children’s Guardian
  9. S (wardship), Re [2016] EWFC B1
  10. O (A child : No Available Secure Accommodation) [2018] EWFC B60 (08 October 2018)     
  11. O (A child : No Available Secure Accommodation) [2018] EWFC B60 (08 October 2018) 
  12. Re 5 Children (Induced and Exaggerated Illnesses Pattern of Behavior) [2021] EWHC 3750 (Fam) (10 December 2021)  
  13. Re C [2022] EWFC 141
  14. N, Re (Children: Findings Against a Professional Witness: Joinder or Intervention) [2024] EWFC 17
  15. R v M & Ors (Hague Convention; Withdrawal of Application under Art. 16 (Parental Responsibility)) [2024] EWHC 720 (Fam)
  16. Re HR (Parallel Child Abduction and Asylum Proceedings) [2024] EWHC 1626 (Fam)
  17. Re A&B (Separate Representation) [2024] EWHC 2834 (Fam)
  18. Re A&B (Adoption: Section 83 ACA 2002) [2024] EWHC 2837 (Fam)