Sam Wallace is a specialist family practitioner, who focuses on both public and private law children work, where he has expertise and experience in acting for local authorities, parents, children and other family members.
He is regularly instructed in complex cases involving, among other things:
Sam has over 20 years of experience acting for local authorities, parents, children (including separately represented children) and other family members in complex care proceedings at every level including in the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
He is regularly instructed in complex cases involving serious allegations of inflicted injury to children, including child death, multiple fractures and non-accidental head injury, and sexual abuse, cases involving allegations of fabricated or induced illness and cases with an international element, including allegations of forced marriage, FGM and radicalisation.
Sam is experienced in the cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses, including both children and vulnerable adults, and has completed the Family Law Bar Association Advocacy for the Vulnerable training.
His reported cases include:
Sam has a growing practice representing both parents and children in international child abduction proceedings brought under the 1980 Hague Convention and in non-Convention cases.
Recently reported cases include:
Sam regularly represents parents and children (including separately represented children) in private law children disputes, where he has a particular interest in cases with an international element, including those brought under Article 21 of the 1980 Hague Convention, and applications for permission to remove from the jurisdiction.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a Data Controller for the personal data that I hold and process as a barrister. My registered address is New Court Chambers, Temple, London EC4Y 9BE and my registration number is Z9039704.
All of the information that I hold about you is provided to or gathered by us in the course of your case and/or proceedings. I will tell you why I need the information and how I will use it.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires all organisations / individuals that process personal data to have a Lawful Basis for doing so. The Lawful Bases identified in the GDPR are:
Examples of legitimate interests include:
My Lawful Basis is:
My Legitimate Interest is:
I do not use automated decision-making in the processing of your personal data.
I collect and process both personal data and special categories of personal data as defined in the GDPR. This includes:
Client data
I store some of my case files on OneDrive which is a cloud hosted environment based in the US.
OneDrive relies upon a variety of legal mechanisms for its international transfer of personal data from the EU to the United States. OneDrive is certified under the EU-US and Swiss US Privacy Shield Programs regarding the collection, use and retention of personal data and its transfer from the EU and Switzerland to the United States.
In addition to the Privacy Shield, OneDrive also provides strong contractual guarantees around the privacy of its services and relies on the EU Model Contract Clauses to cover its international transfers of data.
I am satisfied that such transferred data is fully protected and safeguarded as required by the General Data Protection Regulation.
I retain your personal data while you remain a client unless you ask me to delete it.
My Retention and Disposal Policy (copy available on request) details how long I hold data for and how I dispose of it when it no longer needs to be held. I will delete or anonymise your information at your request unless:
The General Data Protection Regulation gives you specific rights around your personal data. For example, you have to be informed about the information I hold and what I use it for, you can ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you, you can ask us to correct any inaccuracies with the personal data I hold, you can ask us to stop sending you direct mail, or emails, or in some circumstances ask us to stop processing your details. Finally, if I do something irregular or improper with your personal data you can seek compensation for any distress you are caused or loss you have incurred. You can find out more information from the ICO’s website https://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/personal_information and this is the organisation that you can complain to if you are unhappy with how I dealt with you.
“Sam's advocacy is insightful, skilled and intelligent. He meticulously develops the most complex points and is ruthless in cross-examination.”
Legal 500 2026
“Sam is calm, precise, erudite and always focused on getting the best result for the client.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“Sam is a highly polished and thoughtful advocate who always has the ear of the court. His advocacy is second to none, and his case preparation is always meticulous and thorough. He is a highly effective and robust cross-examiner.”
Legal 500 2025
“Always has the ear of the court because he’s fully conversant with his client’s case. He absolutely understands the legal principles and judges listen to him. He has this persuasiveness about him in court, which is amazing to see.”




Accreditations
