Jennie McGill

Overview

Jennie McGill is a Senior Associate Solicitor in the Family Department specialising exclusively in children law. Qualifying as a solicitor in 2010, she has extensive experience representing children, parents and family members in both public and private law proceedings, with particular expertise in representing children through their Children's Guardians. Jennie is an accredited member of the Law Society Children Panel and is regularly instructed in complex cases involving care proceedings, adoption, deprivation of liberty, secure accommodation and international child law issues. She is recognised for her child-focused approach, pragmatic advice and commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

Key Experience

Jennie has acted in a number of complex and high-profile public and private law children cases, often involving significant safeguarding concerns, international elements and contested expert evidence.

Jennie represented a mother in a high-profile public law case involving international allegations of sexual abuse against the children's father, parallel criminal investigations in England and Poland, significant media interest and cross-jurisdictional relocation issues. Following a 15-day fact-finding hearing, she successfully secured the children's continued placement with their mother, the making of no final public law orders, and permission for the family to relocate permanently to Poland.

Jennie has substantial experience representing Children's Guardians in complex public law proceedings. She acted for a Children's Guardian in contested adoption proceedings involving an application for leave to oppose the making of an Adoption Order, successfully supporting the child's permanence plan through detailed welfare, attachment and long-term stability analysis.

Jennie also represented the Children's Guardian in the reported case of Birmingham City Council v BR & Anor [2026] EWFC 87 (B), concerning the scope of section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989. The court endorsed a broad interpretation of the provision, recognising that specialist accommodation may form an integral component of a fair parenting assessment for parents with learning disabilities.

Her recent caseload includes highly complex multi-party care proceedings concerning a large sibling group, involving allegations of chronic neglect, parental substance misuse, physical abuse and serious intra-familial sexual abuse. These proceedings involve extensive disclosure, parallel police investigations, child intervenors, expert evidence and a proposed 15-day fact-finding hearing.

Jennie regularly represents children through Children's Guardians in public law proceedings and children directly in complex Rule 16.4 private law cases. She has particular expertise in cases involving non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional harm, parental alienation, radicalisation concerns and serious safeguarding risks.

Her practice also encompasses deprivation of liberty applications, secure accommodation proceedings, wardship, adoption, leave to oppose adoption applications, revocation of placement orders, forced marriage protection proceedings and cases with international elements.

In addition to her casework, Jennie regularly delivers training to CAFCASS professionals on developments in children law.

Awards and Recognition

Jennie has been recognised by the Legal 500. She Law Society Children Panel Accredited Member Member of Birmingham Law Society Regular trainer for CAFCASS professionals on developments in children law and family justice practice.