Leading Children’s Rights lawyer Chris Callender joined legal charity Just for Kids Law (JfKL) in early June. To date Chris’ experience includes the Howard League for Penal Reform and Article 39, supporting legal services to children and young people, and private practice with a focus on assisting care experienced children and children experiencing criminal and sexual exploitation.
Chris’ experience, approach and success makes him the ideal candidate to take JfKL’s civil litigation team forwards with renewed focus. As a key figure in Public and Community Care Law Chris has taken many legal challenges ranging from children’s rights in the care system to representing families in inquests relating to children and young people who have taken their lives while in the care of mental health services.
Just for Kids Law co-founder, legal director and co-lead Aika Stephenson said of Chris’ appointment “Chris comes to us with a wealth of experience having worked at the Howard League for Penal Reform for 9 years before returning to private practice 12 years ago.” adding “Chris’ expertise will be transformative in rebuilding the civil litigation arm of JfKL.”
Previous JfKL litigation activities have included ‘Children as Spies’ challenging the Home Office guidelines on using children as informants, ‘No Child in Cells’ taking legal action against police forces and local authorities concerning the unlawful detention of children in police cells, and ‘Still a Child at 17’ where JfKL were instrumental in having 17- year-olds detained in police custody defined as children.
With pressures on Legal Aid which enables access to justice no matter your financial situation, and the recent announcement by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of a national inquiry into grooming gangs, strengthening the civil litigation team at Just for Kids Law is happening at exactly the right time for children and young people.
“I am delighted to be joining the Just for Kids Law team, whose work I have admired over many years. I look forward to developing the civil legal work to empower children and young people to enforce their rights and provide them with the level playing field to which they are entitled. With the deterioration of access to justice, there has never been a more important time to show how the law can be life changing for the most vulnerable.”
Chris joins Just for Kids Law as Head of Civil Litigation working alongside co-founders Aika Stephenson; 2018 Criminal Defence Lawyer of the Year and first individual to receive two Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY)awards, and Shauneen Lambe; Eisenhower Fellowship, Ashoka Fellowship, Shackleton Fellowship, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.