Liam Carlen 

Liam is a Director of Hogans Solicitors

​Liam qualified in 1999 whilst working at the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS). Prior to NYAS he gained legal experience in Sydney, Australia, undertaking Immigration Law before moving to Speke, Liverpool with a general practice.​​

Being a specialist organisation engaged in the representation of children, Liam's Training Contract was split between NYAS and Mace and Jones (Liverpool), where he did seats in Wills and Trusts and Commercial Property.

Virtually since the outset of Liam's legal career, he has specialised in the representation of children, which is his main interest and focus.

Liam states that:

"Since joining the team, I have found Hogans is the ideal practice, with the nature and quality of work undertaken and the calibre of my colleagues doing it!

As an early specialist in the separate representation of children in Private Law proceedings, I gave a presentation on the English system of representing children, to the Child Law sub-committee of the European Commission in Brussels.

During my earlier practice, I also undertook some Education Law work and was a regular contributor to the Guardian's education column, answering reader's legal questions on the subject.

I enjoy the challenges which representing children brings, although these are often made somewhat easier with the support and humour of my Hogan's colleagues. I also enjoy the advocacy that goes hand in hand with the work we do and I have appeared in Courts from the High Court in London, to the slightly smaller, but no less salubrious, Llangefni County Court!"

Liam was solicitor advocate in the case of

Re KH (A child) [2012] EWHC B18 (Fam) where he represented the child through his guardian. The matter came before Mr Justice Peter Jackson and related to an application by the NHS Trust for declarations in relation to the best interests of KH, a severely disabled child and in particular to his medical treatment in the event that his condition should deteriorate. A declaration was granted as to the nature of treatment which the child might receive.

Liam also represents the child in proceedings which are to be determined by the President at the end of February 2013. The matter has been referred to the President on the basis of the interests of the public and seeking judicial guidance on the procedures involved in drug testing by way of hair strand analysis.