Alex acts for local authorities, parents, relatives and children in public law proceedings relating to care and placement orders. He has experience in taking instructions from children directly and through their guardian and in cases where clients have mental health problems.

He has been instructed in a variety of interesting private law cases in which disputes have centred around parents’ religious beliefs and mental health. He is experienced in cases involving actual or threatened abduction both within the UK and beyond and in applications for leave to remove a child from the jurisdiction. He has wide experience in disputes over residence and contact, often made complex by allegations of domestic violence.

Alex regularly advises on the possibility of seeking judicial review of local authority decision making and has also advised several local authorities on their potential liability in relation to such claims and those made under the Human Rights Act.

Alex’s experience also includes cases involving ancillary relief, financial remedies and TOLATA matters.

Chambers and Partners (2025) - Family: Children (Band 2) - "He is one of the cleverest lawyers practising in the field on this circuit and is a very effective cross-examiner." "A very intelligent, skilful and forceful advocate." "Alex has a technical legal mind and is always able to provide the answer to complex legal questions and queries."

Legal 500 (2025) - Family, Children and Domestic Violence (Tier 1) - "Alex is a very impressive advocate and commands respect - he gets results."

Chambers and Partners (2024) - Family, Children (Band 3) - "Alex's strength is his intellect. He is able to grasp details quickly and analyse the case, and he has great knowledge of the law."

Legal 500 (2024) - Family, Children and Domestic Violence (Tier 1) 

Chambers and Partners (2023) - Family, Children (Band 2) - "Alex Taylor is a children law specialist with a strong reputation for handling complex cases. He is instructed by local authorities, as well as parents and on behalf of children, and is regularly called on to assist with injury and abuse matters, as well as deprivation of liberty cases."

Legal 500 (2023) - Child Law, Public & Private (Tier 1) - "A junior with considerable technical ability and provides excellent client care."

Legal 500 (2022) - Child Law, Public & Private (Tier 1) - "He is rightly perceived as an intellectual tactician by judges and fellow advocates and has a reassuring yet forthright client care approach."

Chambers and Partners (2022) - Matrimonial Finance (Band 3) - "He impressively combines a practical approach and academic techniques."

Chambers and Partners (2021) - (Band 3) - "His grasp of the law and ability to distil it down to clear arguments is second to none." "He is an extremely knowledgeable and determined barrister. He's very quick on his feet and can develop imaginative but highly effective arguments."

Legal 500 (2021) Child Law, Public & Private (Tier 1) - "Alex combines significant intellectual rigour with very genuine kindness and compassion towards both clients and other parties. Alex is diligent and thorough in his preparation and unafraid to argue novel and complex points which are always thoroughly backed by his knowledge of the case and of the law. He is tenacious in court."

Legal 500 (2020) Child Law, Public & Private (Tier 1) - "He builds excellent relationships with professional and lay clients alike."

Chambers and Partners (2020) - (Band 3) - "Good in childcare work."

Chambers and Partners (2019) - "He is very intelligent and works very hard for the client. His written work, advice and pleadings are excellent, as is his advocacy." "His knowledge of the law is superb. He is very bright."

Chambers and Partners (2018) - "A child law specialist, he has vast experience in handling complex public law children's cases. He regularly acts in cases concerning such matters as sexual abuse, adoption, murder, non-accidental injury and cultural practices." Strengths: "He is incredibly thorough, whether representing parents or a local authority." "Very well regarded." Recent work: Represented the local authority in an adoption case concerning three children of Ghanaian parents. The case raised issues of the weight to be attached to cultural and racial background when considering a plan for adoption.

“He has been very supportive throughout and understanding of our concerns taking into account things we were worried about”- Social Worker, Leeds City Council; January 2017.

"Alex has shown great commitment to the client and his advice has been of the highest quality in this unusual and difficult case. He has been pleasant to work with and always accessible, which are also very important"-The Official Solicitor, October 2015. 

Legal 500 (2011) - "Good on his feet."

Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)

Alex regularly provides lectures and seminars for local authority staff, solicitors and other interested groups. His lectures are CPD accredited.

BA (Hons) (Oxon) - English. First Class, Oxford University Violet Vaughan Morgan Prize in English, Graduate Diploma in Law, City University, Inner Temple Major Scholarship and Basil Nield Award.