Madeleine Whelan

Madeleine Whelan is a leading junior children law barrister at 36 Family, instructed in complex, sensitive and high-stakes children proceedings across public, private and international family law. Ranked by Chambers UK for Family: Children and recognised in Legal 500, she has developed a strong reputation for clear strategic judgment, meticulous preparation, persuasive advocacy and sensitive client care. Solicitors instruct Madeleine in cases requiring careful analysis, robust advocacy and practical advice, particularly where the issues are factually complex, emotionally charged or require the skillful handling of vulnerable clients, expert evidence or serious allegations.

Her children practice spans the full range of public and private law disputes, with particular experience in cases involving harm to children, complex safeguarding issues, sexual abuse allegations, non-accidental injury, catastrophic injury, domestic abuse allegations, adoption and cross-border children disputes. She is regularly instructed in fact-finding hearings and welfare disputes where the court is asked to determine difficult questions of risk and long-term arrangements for children. Her experience includes work in the High Court and Court of Appeal, acting alone and as a junior, and she is recognised for combining forensic discipline with a calm, measured and client-focused approach.

Madeleine’s reported and notable case experience includes Re C (A Child) [2025] EWHC 1648 (Fam), B (a father) v M (a mother) [2023] EWFC 281 (B), B (a father) v M (a mother) [2023] EWFC 282 (B) and A & Ors (Fact Finding) [2020] EWFC 108. These cases reflect the breadth and significance of her children law work, including appeals, complex fact-finding hearings and proceedings involving difficult allegations and contested welfare issues.

Alongside her core children practice, Madeleine has a distinctive and developing profile in modern family law. She is instructed in cases involving surrogacy, donor-conceived children, LGBTQ+ family issues and non-traditional family structures, bringing specialist insight to disputes involving parenthood, identity, welfare and evolving family arrangements. She is also committed to the publicly funded Bar and continues to accept legally aided instructions across the full spectrum of children law.

Her wider contribution to the field strengthens her standing as an engaged and authoritative voice in children and family law. She is a regular writer for the Family Law Journal and Family Law Week and has previously hosted a fortnightly family law podcast, reflecting her commitment to legal development, professional debate and accessible analysis of current issues. Madeleine is instructed by solicitors seeking a children law barrister who combines specialist expertise, strategic clarity, strong advocacy and a modern, thoughtful approach to complex family cases.