Michael Nicholls KC

Professional Information

Michael Nicholls KC is a specialist in international family law, human rights and medical ethics. He was called to the Bar in London in 1975, appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006 and admitted to practice in Western Australia in November 2009.

Michael has always had a strong international practice. His work often involves international jurisdiction disputes, child abduction and relocation cases, international surrogacy cases (including the Baby Gammy case) and other conflicts of laws. He also deals with domestic family cases, including property settlement and children’s cases. Michael is often instructed in appeals and as an expert witness.

Involvement with international family law first came when Michael was a lawyer in the Army and later when he was working for the Official Solicitor in London, when he was responsible for running the UK Central Authority for the operation of the Hague Abduction Convention and representing the UK at the Hague Conference and at the Council of Europe. He later became one of the experts on family law at the Hague Conference and at the Council of Europe, where he was the General Rapporteur to the 2003 Conference on improving children’s access to justice. He was also a member of the drafting group that wrote the 2003 Council of Europe Convention on Contact Concerning Children.

Michael has written and lectured extensively about family law, jurisdiction, child protection and human rights, evidence and medical ethics His numerous publications include ‘International Movement of Children - Law, Practice and Procedure’ (LexisNexis/Family Law, second edition 2016) (with Professor Nigel Lowe).