Family Law

Richard's practice is concentrated on cases involving children both in the public law field and in private law proceedings.

His private law work includes disputes relating to contact and residence as well as leave to remove applications. Richard’s practice has developed a particular focus on International Child Abduction, representing both Applicants and Defendants in cases relating to both Hague and non Hague Convention countries. He frequently writes articles and gives papers on recent developments in Child Abduction.

Whilst at Amnesty Richard worked for the Refugee Team with responsibility for the preparation of individual cases of refugees/asylum seekers for presentation to the Refugee Board. He researched strategic topics for future Executive Committee meetings of UNHCR such as "Internally Displaced Peoples" and "Warehousing of Refugees" and made presentations on behalf of Amnesty to student rallies and to other NGO's. At UNICEF Richard provided background research for the fourth report on the impact of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC Report) in Australia both in terms of its successes and identifying areas of weakness. He was also responsible for the preparation of data for the Shadow Report consultation on ICESCR (International Convenant on Economical, Social and Cultural Rights) as UNICEF embarked on a project to document the state of human rights in Australia.
Prior to leaving in August 2007 much of his work was directed to the preparation of briefing documents and he assisted in coordinating the UNICEF junior round table on Asia Pacific Forum (J-RAP). The forum provided a platform for Australian youth to call on APEC leaders to address their concerns about climate change, trade and development.

Retired District Judge and Nominated Judge of the Court of Protection

Gordon qualified as a solicitor in 1967 after gaining LL.B (Hons) at Manchester University in 1964. He was appointed a District Judge at Preston in 1992 after 28 years of general legal practice in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria and became a Deputy Master of the former Court of Protection in 2001 to hear cases in the north of England and then a nominated judge of the (new) Court of Protection. Before retiring in 2012 he was a Visiting Professor at Northumbria University, patron of Solicitors for the Elderly, vice-president of Association of Law Costs Draftsmen and tutor judge at the Judicial College (formerly Judicial Studies Board). He was a part-time Chair of Social Security Appeals Tribunal (1985-2001).

Gordon has written and lectured extensively on topics concerned with older and disabled people and the law. Books include Mental Handicap and the Law, Elderly Client Handbook, Butterworths Older Client Law Service, Elderly People and the Law, Mental Capacity – The New Law and Mental Capacity – Law and Practice. He is general editor of Court of Protection Practice and has contributed to many other volumes including Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents, Atkins Court Forms and Butterworths Wills Probate and Administration Service.

 In 2010 he was awarded the OBE for “Services to the Administration of Justice and to Disabled People”.