Oliver Millington

The focus of Oliver’s family practice is on public law proceedings in which he represents local authorities, parents, extended family members, prospective adopters and children via their guardians. He is regularly instructed in complex cases concerning serious non-accidental injury, sexual abuse and complex mental health issues. Oliver is used to dealing with international issues concerning jurisdiction and placements abroad.

Oliver is also regularly instructed in private law disputes, in particular where there are allegations of serious physical or sexual abuse, cases involving intractable hostility and where the children are separately represented.

Notable Family Law cases

• A Local Authority v G (2022)
  

  Oliver was First Junior representing the child in a 4-week fact-finding hearing concerning the death of a sibling. All other parties were represented by Leading and Junior Counsel.

• A Local Authority v D (2021)
  

  Oliver separately represented a teenager who was the subject of a Deprivation of Liberty application. The case was joined with several others to form a test case on a novel point of law, namely whether the High Court can authorise under its inherent jurisdiction the deprivation of liberty of a child under the age of 16 where the child’s placement is prohibited by regulations that came into force on 9.09.21: Tameside MBC v AM and others [2021] EWHC 2472 (Fam).

• A Local Authority v C (2020-2021)
  

  Oliver was junior counsel for the Local Authority in this High Court case that involved the death of a child. Oliver and his leader succeeded in obtaining findings that the mother’s boyfriend caused the child’s death. See C (A Child) [2020] EWCA Civ 987.

• A Local Authority v A (2020)
  

  This High Court case concerned a mother’s refusal to consent to life-saving medical treatment for her son, who suffered from Sickle Cell Disease. The case involved a complex issue as to whether the treatment recommended by doctors at the treating hospital was in the child’s interests. Oliver succeeded in obtaining the orders sought by his client to protect the child.

• A Local Authority v X (2019)
  

  Oliver acted as Special Advocate for a parent in a closed hearing in the High Court in relation to whether his client should receive highly confidential and sensitive material.