Aidan Vine KC

Practice Overview

• Children (Public Law)

  Aidan has been described by Chambers and Partners as the “go-to person” for public law issues, including Human Rights Act claims. He acts for local authorities, parents, interveners and children in the most serious fatal injury, non-accidental injury and sexual abuse cases, as well as in cases with jurisdictional and international complexities, or related civil law issues. He regularly advises on the civil law consequences of local authority child protection decisions and service provision.

• Children (Private Law)

  Aidan is very experienced in relocation cases, and in high conflict private law cases generally. He has particular experience acting for children having to navigate these difficulties.

• International Family Law

  Aidan has been described as “a real star” in complex children cases involving jurisdictional disputes and has appeared in a number of international children cases, including at appellant level. He appeared in a number of the earlier contested Article 15 transfer cases, and has been actively engaged in cases in this area ever since, in both public law and private law cases. He regularly appears in child abduction cases with complex legal issues, both at first instance and on appeal.

• Court of Protection

  Aidan has an established Court of Protection practice, at first instance and on appeal. He acts in complex cases, at first instance and on appeal.

• Notable Cases

  Confidential Prospective Adopters v BM & Ors [2026] EWHC 907 Adoption application following placement order. Judgment considering application by mother for disclosure of full report on the suitability of the applicants to adopt.

  H v O (Fact-Finding) [2026] EWHC 715 Fact-finding in child contact proceedings, to determine mother’s allegations of domestic abuse against father.

  A, B and C (Children: Perpetrator Finding) [2026] EWCA Civ 219 Care proceedings. Appeal by mother against finding that injury to child was inflicted by her.

  Warwickshire County Council v BN & Ors [2025] EWHC 2080 This judgment concerns Warwickshire Police’s response to a series of Police Disclosure Orders in a public law Children Act 1989 case, and in particular the redactions that the Police sought to impose on the disclosure sought.

  A Local Authority v H & Ors [2025] EWFC 316 Fact-finding in public law proceedings, concerning fatal injury to child.

  H (Placement Orders) [2024] EWCA Civ 429 Appeal by mother against placement orders made in respect of her two youngest children.

  TRC (Father) v NS (Mother) (Extensions of Time; Composite Hearings) [2024] EWHC 80 Appeal from a decision to vacate a fact finding hearing in a dispute between parents about the terms of a child arrangements order.

  Slough Children First v Mother & Ors [2024] EWFC 31 Fact-finding in care proceedings. Found that fractures suffered by child were not perpetrated by either parent using force beyond that which it would be reasonable for a parent to use.

  Re X (A Child) [2023] EWFC 264 (B) Application by local authority for permission to withdraw care proceedings, following receipt of medical evidence indicating that the parents were not to blame for the child’s injuries.

  J (Children: Reopening Findings of Fact) [2023] EWCA Civ 465 Represented Child A. Care proceedings. Appeal by father of 2 of the children against decision to reopen allegation of sexual assault made against him by one of the children. Appeal dismissed.

  Coventry City Council v The Mother (BB) & Ors [2023] EWHC 1284 Aidan was instructed by the local authority in this final hearing of care proceedings relating to a three year-old child whose parents are US citizens. All orders sought by the local authority were made. The child was placed with their maternal aunt and uncle in Florida, under a Special Guardianship Order. An earlier hearing AA v BB & Ors [2022] EWHC 2322 included a Hague application and a challenge to jurisdiction.

  A Council v H & Ors [2023] EWFC 47 (29 March 2023) Care proceedings relating to two children, issued following death of sibling, who was found to have suffered metaphyseal fractures. Held, threshold not met.

  C (Surrogacy: Consent) [2023] EWCA Civ 16 Appeal by surrogate & biological mother against parental order, on the ground that she had not given free & unconditional consent.

  Re A (Children) (Pool of Perpetrators) [2022] EWCA Civ 1348 The correct approach in uncertain perpetrator cases.

  Re W-A (Children) [2022] EWCA Civ 1118 An appeal against a decision that foreign convictions were admissible in evidence and carried presumptive weight that the offence had been committed in fact-finding in children’s cases.

  Re CK (A Child: Fact-Finding) [2022] EWCA Civ 952 An appeal against findings of fact in a care case.

  Re D (A Child) (Placement Order) [2022] EWCA Civ 896 An appeal against the making of a placement order.

  Re Y (A Minor) (No 2) (Brussels II Revised: Jurisdiction after Article 15 Transfer: Welfare) [2022] EWFC 69

  AA v BB & Ors [2022] EWHC 2322 (Fam) (12 July 2022) An application under the Hague Convention 1980.

  Y (A Minor) (Brussels II Revised: Jurisdiction after Article 15 Transfer) [2021] EWFC 107

  Re J (A Child: Residential Assessment) [2021] EWFC B18 (9 April 2021) An appeal by a local authority against the case management decision of District Judge.

  Aidan appeared for one of the respondents in an alleged paedophile ring case with over 40 respondents, the judgments in this case are not published.

  Brussels I Recast (2019) (unreported cohabitation dispute) Aidan appeared in a cohabitation dispute involving civil law matrimonial property regimes and the recognition of an Italian judgment under Brussels I Recast.

  Brussels II Revised (2019) (unreported Court of Protection case) Aidan appeared in court of protection proceedings where the issues were transfer of care proceedings from the family court, onward transfer of the proceedings to the EU under Art 15 (Brussels II Revised) and whether the inherent jurisdiction could be used to authorise deprivation of liberty before the jurisdiction of the court of protection had been established. The judgment in this case has yet to be published.

  Re R (A Child) [2019] EWFC 28 Care proceedings, child with life limiting condition.

  Re C (A Child) [2019] EWHC 131 Relocation appeal, concerning South Africa.

  Re B (A Child) [2018] EWCA Civ 2127 The extent of the obligation to ‘put a case’ in cross-examination, and the correct approach to the ‘pool of perpetrators’.

  The Child and Family Agency (Ireland) v M & Ors [2018] EWHC 1581 Article 15 (Brussels II Revised) transfer into the jurisdiction of care proceedings that were started in Ireland.

  Re GP (A Child) [2017] EWCA Civ 1677 Article 13b (‘Hague’) grave risk of harm to child if abducting parent returned to home country to face imprisonment for child abduction. 

  S v S (Relocation) [2017] EWHC 2345 Relocation case, acting for teenage children who intervened.

  H (A Child) v Northamptonshire County Council and the Legal Aid Agency [2017] EWHC 282 Human rights damages, procedure for issuing human rights claims where there are also care proceedings, and the operation of the legal aid charge.

  Re: H (A Child) (International Abduction; Asylum & Welfare) [2016] EWCA Civ 988 Inherent jurisdiction, asylum rights and welfare assessments in (‘non-Hague’) proceedings for return orders.

  Re D (A Child) [2016] EWHC 1154 Article 11(7) return orders, and ‘trumping orders’ securing the return of children abducted to the EU.

  Coventry City Council v A [2014] EWHC 2033 Article 15 (Brussels II Revised) transfer of jurisdiction from England and Wales, local authority obligations to trace family members and confidentiality from family members).

  Re A & B (Children: Brussels II Revised: Article 15) [2014] EWFC 40 Article 15 (Brussels II Revised) transfer of jurisdiction from England and Wales.

  Ville de Bauge v China [2014] EWHC 3975 Divorce, financial remedy and Brussels II Revised lis pendens.

  Re TG (Care Proceedings; Case Management; Expert Evidence) [2013] EWCA Civ 5 Necessity of expert evidence, specifically necessity of biomechanical evidence in NAI/head injury cases.

• What the Directories Say

  'Aidan Vine KC is a very experienced King's Counsel and highly regarded in his field. We would not hesitate to instruct him in future cases where a KC is required.' 'Aidan Vine KC was very calm and explained everything really well. He assisted in evaluating the evidence the entire way through. He is excellent in his dealings.' 'Aidan Vine KC is an exceptional advocate. He is so lovely with clients. He gives clear and precise advice.' 'Aidan Vine KC is a classic advocate, with wonderful manners and a very light touch when needed, but powerful when he opposes you. He is highly rated.'
  Chambers & Partners 2027

  'He has an excellent approach to the client and explains matters very well in conference. In addition to advocacy, he is involved in every step of the case and the analysis of the evidence once instructed.'
  Legal 500 UK Bar 2027

  'Excellent client approach. In addition to advocacy, he is involved in analysing the evidence every step of the way once instructed.'
  Legal 500 UK Bar 2027

  Works really hard, is really well prepared, and has excellent advocacy skills.
  Legal 500 UK Bar 2027

  'Aidan’s legal knowledge is second to none, as is his understanding of medical issues in non-accidental injury cases, making his cross-examination of experts flawless.'
  Chambers UK Bar 2026

  'Aidan is the perfect barrister to meticulously prepare a case and explore every nuance.' 'Aidan has a lovely manner, both his work in court and his written documents are first-rate.' 'Aidan is invariably totally on top of the brief and is a complete brainbox.' 'Aidan is extremely knowledgeable and effective.'
  Chambers UK Bar 2026

  ‘Aidan is a tenacious advocate; his written documents are always detailed and well-researched and in oral advocacy he will pursue his argument as far as he can.'
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2026

  'Aidan has all the law at his fingertips and can explain it in a very understandable way.'
  Chambers UK Bar 2025

  ‘Aidan is a tenacious advocate; his written documents are always detailed and well-researched and in oral advocacy he will pursue his argument as far as he can.'
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2025

  "Aidan is very calm and collected and he has the ear of the court. He presents things in a balanced and fair way and is very persuasive."
  Chambers UK Bar 2024

  "He has great client care and is absolutely meticulous. Aidan is a lovely person to work with as part of a team."
  Chambers UK Bar 2024

  'Aidan is a very effective advocate with an excellent grasp of the case. He can break down complex evidence and present it simply and understandably. He has the ear of the court and can be trusted in the most difficult of cases.'
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2024

  ‘Aidan is invariably thoroughly prepared for cases and is a tenacious advocate. He is fearless in the face of judicial intervention. In court, he is thorough and determined. His advocacy is calm and quietly persuasive.’ 'Aiden is keen and has impressive legal analytical skills. His arguments are extremely well-researched and presented calmly and expertly advanced to the court.’
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2024

  “Aidan's advice and representation is of the highest quality.”
  Chambers UK Bar 2023

  “He's a very measured advocate who doesn't overdo his points but makes them well.”
  Chambers UK Bar 2023

  “He is very hard-working and down to earth, with great client communication skills.”
  Chambers UK Bar 2023

  'Aidan’s attention to detail is impressive, together with his ability to analyse complex cases and to develop a strategy in presenting the cases makes him a formidable barrister. His ability to memorise large volume of information and evidence is outstanding. Another real strength is his calm approach to the clients, the case and any issues that arises.'
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2023

  "A pleasure to work with. He is kind, patient and took more time than any other barrister I have ever worked with to allow my client to put his statement in his own words. His medical knowledge and understanding of complex issues arising in NAI cases is second to none." "He is very hard-working, approachable and personable."
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2022

  "He is very approachable, with an extremely good sense of client care, and he gives clear, unequivocal advice." "He is a class act."
  Chambers UK Bar 2021

  "He is an accomplished and effective advocate, with a measured style that many judges like, and with recognised expertise in children cases with human rights or jurisdictional issues."
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2021

  "His client care skills are exemplary and his knowledge of intricate legal issues is excellent. A very skilled advocate in court. He has a quick mind and the ability to think on his feet."
  Chambers UK Bar

  "He is the go-to person for public law issues, including Human Rights Act claims; he's calm, collected, meticulously prepared and renowned for the care he gives his clients."
  Chambers UK Bar 2019

  "A good strategic thinker with excellent attention to detail and client care."
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2019

  "Highly experienced in matrimonial finance and children law matters."
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2018

  "He is incredibly bright and his preparation is exemplary."
  Chambers UK Bar 2018

  "He is a real star in complex children cases involving jurisdictional disputes."
  Chambers UK Bar 2018

  "His skill lies in his intellectual approach to law."
  Chambers UK Bar 2017

  "He has an excellent manner with clients."
  Chambers UK Bar 2017

  "His advocacy style is pleasant and persuasive."
  The Legal 500 UK Bar 2017