Michael Edwards
Door Tenant
Called: 2010
Qualified to accept Public Access instructions
Introduction
Michael is an international lawyer with over 12 years’ experience at the Bar and in international organisations.
At the Bar, Michael’s work focuses principally on child abduction, child trafficking, public inquiries and inquests. Michael provides specialist advice and representation to government departments. He was a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel (2016-21) and is now a member of the AG’s B Panel. He is also a Special Advocate, which means he handles national security cases of the highest sensitivity.
In the international sphere, Michael worked in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. He specialised in cases involving Kosovo. He also previously worked in Sarajevo for the international human rights charity, TRIAL, with a particular focus on war-time sexual violence cases.
Michael is a judge and arbitrator. He is a Deputy District Judge on the South Eastern Circuit; he is a member of the Institute of Arbitrators; and he sits on judicial panels for The FA, British Swimming and Swim England.
Michael also practices from 4pb in London.
Current/recent Work
Instructed to represent the Ministry of Defence in the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan. The Inquiry is investigating alleged war crimes committed by British forces in Afghanistan and whether these were properly investigated. Public hearings have commenced. Further information can be found HERE
Re P (Inherent Jurisdiction Return: Return Order: Welfare Analysis) [2023] EWHC 225 (Fam)
Long-running Nigerian child abduction case in the High Court involving allegations of female genital mutilation
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2023/225.html
Re A (A Child)(Rev 1) [2021] EWHC 3467 (Fam)
High Court proceedings, clandestine abduction from the UK to Switzerland following circumcision of a child
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/3467.html
Re M (A Child) [2020] EWCA Civ 922Court of Appeal, the leading case on the jurisdiction of the English court to protect British children abroad
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2020/922.html
Re NY (A Child) [2019] UKSC 49
UK Supreme Court, the leading case on the use of the inherent jurisdiction in child abduction proceedings
https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2019/49.html
Appointed as a judge to a 3-member panel to assess the asylum claims of Sri Lankan nationals currently present on the British Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia).
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA): representing a local authority in the strand of IICSA looking into the institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse against Lord Janner.
Inquest into the Death of Ellie Butler.
Education
University of Bristol, History (BA Hons) (First Class)
City University, GDL (Distinction)
BPP Law School, BVC (Very Competent)
Exhibition Award and Poland Prize (Inner Temple)
Memberships
Inner Temple
British Association for Sport and Law
Appointments
2016-21: Attorney General’s C Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown
2018 onwards: Special Advocate
2021 onwards: Attorney General’s B Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown.
2021: Deputy District Judge, South Eastern Circuit
2022: The FA Judicial Appeal Panel
2022: Arbitrator
Publications
Co-editor, International Family Law (the leading journal on international family justice)