Rachel Langdale KC
Year of call
1990
Silk
2009
Instructing Rachel Langdale KC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Rachel Langdale KC undertakes Children Law cases (public, private and international), Judicial Review and Public Inquiries.
Legal Expertise
Inquests & Inquiries
Inquests & Inquiries
Rachel Langdale KC is currently appointed as Counsel to the Thirlwall Inquiry. The terms of reference are available here.
Rachel Langdale KC was instructed as leading counsel in the Lambeth investigation (2018-2021) in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. She was instructed as leading counsel for the South Staffordshire PCT in the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (2010-2012). The Inquiry was chaired by Sir Robert Francis KC and followed an earlier independent inquiry (“the First Mid Staffs Inquiry”) which he also chaired. The terms of reference were “To examine the operation of the commissioning, supervisory and regulatory organisations and other agencies in relation to their monitoring role at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between January 2005 and March 2009 and to examine why problems at the Trust were not identified sooner and appropriate action taken.”
Rachel has acted for local authorities and individuals in lengthy Inquiries surrounding the plight of children in care (including the Waterhouse Inquiry). She has also scrutinised the investigations or actions of statutory authorities in the context of judicial review and in the context of allegations made in the Care Standards Tribunal. Rachel provides a committed service to those she represents.
Family Law
Family Law
Rachel Langdale KC has extensive experience in presenting and challenging complex medical evidence. She is regularly instructed where causing death or serious injury is alleged. She has significant expertise in calling and cross-examining complainants of sexual abuse (with or without the use of a witness intermediary) and frequently acts on behalf of vulnerable adults.
Rachel is instructed in appellate work and has argued jurisdictional points at first instance on behalf of individuals and public authorities. Her advice has been sought upon the need (or otherwise) for anticipatory injunctions to be obtained in circumstances where there is media interest in a case. She has advised surrounding the use of the inherent jurisdiction and wardship; safeguarding procedure and practice; medical treatment cases; applications of policy and the provision of services. She also undertakes relocation cases, and provides a committed service to those she represents.
Notable Family Law cases
Re: BR and others (Transparency Order: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2023] EWFC 9
Reporting an order in a transparency pilot scheme, permitting accredited journalists to report on family proceedings normally held in private. Poole J adopted the template Transparency Order attached to the President’s Guidance, with some variations, to be used in an upcoming Family Court fact-finding hearing. The template, which could be amended, did not overturn the Children Act 1989 s.97 which provided that nothing could be published which identified a child in the proceedings.
A v B [2023] 3 WLUK 621
The Court of Appeal affirmed Mrs. Justice Knowles’ rejection of a move to import criminal concepts into fact finding cases in the family courts, specifically with regards to allegations of sexual abuse between two adults. Parliament had comprehensively considered the Family Court's approach to domestic abuse during the passage of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 into law.
AA v BB, Coventry City Council, XX (by his Children’s Guardian) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] WL 04134567
Re S (2020) EWCA Civ 515
SR (a child) [2018] EWCA Civ 2738
Re (a child) [2016] EWCA Civ 793, Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Prospective adoptive parents appealed against the making of a special guardianship order in favour of the paternal grandparents.
Nottingham City Council v (1) LM (2) SD (3) M (by his Children’s Guardian) [2014] EWCA Civ 152
Appeal against Article 15 Brussels II Revised transfer request.
Medway Council v (1) M v (2) F v (3) G (by her Children’s Guardian) [2014] EWHC 308 (Fam)
Theis J, withdrawal of application for a care order.
Re J (A Child) (Learning Disabled Parent) [2013]
Defeat of application for a placement order.
Re AB (A Child) [2012] C/A EWCA Civ 858
Appeal surrounding nature and scope of Article 56 Brussels II Revised.
Re C [2012] EWCA Civ 858
Moylan J, jurisdictional argument surrounding orders in Englishand Belgian Court (Article 12(3) Brussels II Revised).
Re B (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 858
Appeal on behalf of mother in respect of transfer of residency to paternal grandmother.
Re T (Intervener) [2011]
Securing discharge of client as party and witness upon the basis of human rights arguments.
Instructing Rachel Langdale KC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
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