Professor Nigel Lowe

Emeritus Professor

Email:: lowe@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone:: +44(0)29 2087 4368

Emeritus Professor Nigel Lowe LLB (Sheffield), LLD (Cardiff). Barrister of the Inner Temple. Until his retirement on 30 September 2014, he was a Professor of Law at Cardiff Law School since 1991 and Head of School from 2010-2013.

He is a expert on Family Law and is the co-author of the leading text Lowe and Douglas ' Bromley's Family Law' and is a specialist in Child Law and in particular, International Child Law (he is a co-author of Lowe , Everall and Nicholls 'International Movement of Children'). Together with Michael Nicholls, he has just finished a book on the 1996 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children. He is a consultant to the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the Council of Europe. He is a member of the UK's International Family Law Committee and of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Family Law (being a sometime Vice President). He is a member of the Organising Committee of the Commission on European Family Law and is an advisory board member of the US based International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. He is a Dartington Research Fellow and was a former Chairman of the Legal Group of the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.

He has written extensively and has given numerous papers both nationally and internationally.

He is an editor of Clarke Hall & Morrison on Children, an editor of Family Law Reports, a consultant editor of International Family Law and he is a member of the editorial boards of The Child and Family Law Quarterly and Fam RZ.

Together with Victoria Stephens, he has completed (August 2012) a report The Timing of 1980 Hague Abduction Convention Applications; the 2011 Findings which was a project funded by the Nuffield Foundation. They also presented A Statistical Analysis of Applications Made in 2008 Under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction at the 6th Special Commission to review the operation of the 1980 Convention held at The Hague in June 2011 (a report is available on The Hague web-site).

In 2009, he presented a report A Study into the Rights and Legal Status of Children Being Brought up in Various Forms of Martital and Non-Marital Partherships and Cohabitation to the Council of Europe in Strasburg and subsequently became the legal consultant to the working party appointed to make recommendations to the Council following on from the report.

He is currently working on a long standing project with the European Commission on Family Law on Property Relations between Spouses, the book on which is planned to be published in 2013.

2015

Douglas, G. and Lowe, N. V. 2015. Bromley's family law [11th ed.].. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

2013

Boele-Woelki, K.et al. 2013. Principles of European family law regarding property relations between spouses.. European family law series Vol. 33.. Cambridge: Intersentia.

2012

Lowe, N. V. 2012. A supra-national approach to interpreting the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention – a tale of two European courts - Part 2: the substantive impact of the two European Courts' rulings upon the application of the 1980 Convention. International Family Law 2012(June), pp. 170-179.
Lowe, N. V. 2012. A supra-national approach to interpreting the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention – a tale of two European courts: Part 1: setting the scene. International Family Law 2012(March), pp. 48-52.
Lowe, N. V. 2012. Inherently disposed to protect children – the continuing role of wardship. In: Probert, R. and Barton, C. eds. Fifty Years in Family Law: Essays for Stephen Cretney.. Antwerpen: Intersentia, pp. 161-173.
Lowe, N. V. and Stephens, V. H. 2012. Global trends in the operation of the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention. Family Law Quarterly 46(1), pp. 41-85.
Lowe, N. V. 2012. Prenuptial Agreements: the Developing English Position. In: Verberke, A. et al. eds. Confronting the Frontiers of Family and Succession Law: Liber Amicorum Walter Pintens.. Antwerpen: Intersentia, pp. 867-885.
Lowe, N. V. and Stephens, V. H. 2012. Children's welfare and human rights under the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention - the ruling in Re E. Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law 34(1), pp. 125-135. (10.1080/09649069.2012.675469)

2011

Lowe, N. V. and Cobley, C. 2011. The statutory “threshold” under Section 31 of the Children Act 1989 – time to take stock. Law Quarterly Review 127, pp. 396-422.
Lowe, N. V. and Stephens, V. H. 2011. Operating the 1980 Hague Convention: The 2008 statistics. In: Family Law.. Jordan Publishing Ltd, pp. 1216-1226.
Lowe, N. V. 2011. Working towards a European concept of legal parenthood. In: Buchler, A. and Muller-Chen, M. eds. Private law : National, Global, Comparative : Festschrift für Ingeborg Schwenzer zum 60. Geburtstag., Vol. 2. Bern: Stämpfli Verlag AG, pp. 1105-1124.
Lowe, N. V. 2011. J v C [1970] AC 668. J v C: placing the child’s welfare centre stage. In: Gilmore, S., Herring, J. and Probert, R. eds. Landmark Cases in Family Law.. Oxford: Hart Publishing, pp. 27-45.
Lowe, N. V. 2011. La justice des mineurs: perspectives anglaises. In: Favier, Y. and Ferand, F. eds. La Justice des mineurs en Europe – Une question de Specialite?.. Collection Droit européen de la famille ; European Family Law Vol. 28. Intersentia, pp. 57-73.
Lowe, N. V. 2011. The enforcement of custody and access decisions under the revised Brussels II Regulation. International Family Law, pp. 21-30.
Lowe, N. V. and Stephens, V. H. 2011. A statistical analysis of spplications made in 2008 under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the civil aspects of International Child Adoption Preliminary Document No 8A - C (2011). Documentation. Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference. Available at: http://www.hcch.net

2010

Lowe, N. V. 2010. The impact of the revised Brussels II Regulation on Cross-Border Relocation. The Judges Newsletter (Special Edition)(1), pp. 69-72.
Lowe, N. V. 2010. A review of the developing law on residence, contact, prohibited steps and specific issue orders under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Journal of Children's Services 5(2), pp. 39-51. (10.5042/jcs.2010.0300)
Lowe, N. V. 2010. The jurisdictional rules under the 1996 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children’. Journal of Family Law and Practice 1(1), pp. 14-22.
Lowe, N. V. 2010. The applicable laws provisions of the 1996 Hague Convention on the protection of children and the impact of the Convention on International Child Abduction. International Family Law, pp. 51-58.

2009

Lowe, N. V. 2009. La justice des mineurs: perspective anglais. Presented at: La Justice des Mineurs Perspectives Francaises et Europeennes, University of Jean Moulin, Lyon, France.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. Child law update. Presented at: HMCS Wales, Family Law Seminar and Family Proceedings Conference.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. A study into the rights and legal status of children brought up in various forms of marital and non-marital partnerships and cohabitation: A Report for the attention of the Committee of Experts on Family Law. Project Report. [Online]. Strasbourg: Secretariat of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs. Available at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/family/Other_documents_en.asp
Lowe, N. V. 2009. Who is my parent?. Presented at: Tel Aviv Colloquium: In Loco Parentis - who should raise our children?, Tel Aviv, Israel, 10-13 Sept 2009.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. Why we should come to grips with the 1996 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children 1996. Presented at: 5th World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 23-26 Aug 2009.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. The applicable law provisions of the 1996 Convention on the Protection of Children and the impact of the Convention on International Child Abduction. Presented at: International Family Justice Judicial Conference for Common Law and Commonwealth Jurisdictions, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK, 04-08 August 2009.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. EU family law and children's rights: a better alternative to the Hague Conference or the Council of Europe?. Presented at: The Children and the European Union: Legal, Political and Research Prospectives Conference, University of Liverpool, UK, 20-22 April 2009.
Douglas, G. and Lowe, N. V. eds. 2009. The continuing evolution of family law.. Bristol: Family Law.
Douglas, G. 2009. The continuing evolution of family law. In: Douglas, G. and Lowe, N. V. eds. The Continuing Evolution of Family Law.. Bristol: Family Law, pp. 1-37.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. Where in the world is international family law going next?. In: Douglas, G. F. and Lowe, N. V. eds. The Continuing Evolution of Family Law.. Bristol: Family Law, pp. 261-291.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. The continuing evolution of family law. In: Lowe, N. V. and Douglas, G. F. eds. The Continuing Evolution of Family Law.. Bristol: Family Law, pp. 1-37.
Lowe, N. V. 2009. A review of the application of Article 11 of the revised Brussels II regulation. International Family Law, pp. 27-34.

2008

Lowe, N. V. 2008. The status of pre-nuptial agreements in English law - should we move to a continental European approach?. Presented at: 13th World Conference of the International Society of Family Law, Vienna, Austria, 16-20 Sep 2008.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Child law updates. Presented at: Temple Chambers Event, Cardiff, UK, 16 July 2008.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. The Council of Europe's family law programme: where does it go from here?. In: Helms, T. and Zeppernick, J. M. eds. Lebendiges Familienrecht - Festschrift fur Rainer Frank.. Germany: Verlag für Standesamtswesen, pp. 513-533.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Child law updates. Presented at: Cornwall Street Chambers Event, Birmingham, UK.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Does the Council of Europe's family law programme matter?. Presented at: Annual Family Law Conference, University of Staffordshire, UK, 2008.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Where in the world will international family law go next?. Presented at: Cardiff Law School, Family Law Conference, Cardiff, UK.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. A review of the application of Article 11 of the revised Brussels II regulation. Presented at: Anglo-Germanophone Judicial Family Law Conference, Schwechat, Vienna, Austria.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Child law updates. Presented at: Annual Welsh Circuit Conference.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. Does the Council of Europe's family law programme matter?. International Family Law, pp. 75-85.
White, R., Carr, A. P. and Lowe, N. V. 2008. The Children Act in practice (4th ed.).. London: Butterworths Law.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. A statistical analysis of applications made in 2003 under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the civil aspects of international child adoption (2007 Update). HHCH: Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Lowe, N. V. 2008. National country reports: enforcement under the 1980 Hague Convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction (edited).
Lowe, N. V. 2008. A study into the rights and legal status of children being brought up in various forms of marital and non-marital partnerships and cohabitation. Documentation. CJ-FA.

2007

Lowe, N. V. 2007. The current experiences and difficulties of applying Brussels II revised. Presented at: 3rd Anglophone/Francophone Family Law Conference, Edinburgh, UK, June 2007.
Lowe, N. V. and Horosova, K. 2007. The Operation of the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention - A Global View. Family Law Quarterly 41(1), pp. 59-103.
Lowe, N. V. 2007. England. In: Spickhoff, A. et al. eds. Streit um die Abstammung: Ein Europäischer Vergleich [The Dispute Over the Parentage - A European Comparison].. Beiträge zum europäischen Familienrecht Vol. 11. Bielefeld: Gieseking, pp. 319-341.
Lowe, N. V. 2007. The legal position of grandparents under the Children Act 1989. In: The Children Act - What's in it for Grandparents? (4th ed.).. Harlow: The Grandparents' Association, pp. 9-20.
Boele-Woelki, K.et al. 2007. Principles of European family law regarding parental responsibilities.. European Family Law Vol. 16.. Oxford: Intersentia.
Lowe, N. V., Patterson, S. and Horosova, K. 2007. Good practice report on enforcement under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the civil aspects of international child abduction. Project Report. [Online]. Alexandria, VA: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Available at: http://www.icmec.org/en_X1/icmec_publications/Good_Practice_Enforcement_EN.pdf

2006

Lowe, N. V. 2006. Report for the attention of the Committee of Experts on Family Law (CJ-FA) containing an evaluation of the Council of Europe legal instruments in the field of family law. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. Available at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/family/CJ-FA%20_2006_%201%20Rev.pdf
Lowe, N. V. and Douglas, G. 2006. Bromley's family law (10th ed.).. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lowe, N. V.et al. 2006. A statistical analysis of applications made in 2003 under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction - national reports. HCCH: Hague Conference on Private International Law. Available at: http://www.hcch.net/upload/wop/abd_pd03efs2006.pdf
Lowe, N. V., Patterson, S. and Horosova, K. 2006. Enforcement of orders made under the 1980 convention - an empirical study. Discussion Paper. The Hague: HCCH: Hague Conference on Private International Law. Available at: http://www.hcch.net/upload/wop/abduct2006infodoc.pdf
Lowe, N. V. and Horosova, K. 2006. Good practice report on access. Alexandria, VA: International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Updates to part 1. In: Clarke Hall and Morrison on Children.. Butterworths
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Updates to parts of part 2, division 1, on private law. In: Clarke Hall and Morrison on Children.. Butterworths
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Updates to parts of part 2, division 2, on child abduction. In: Clarke Hall and Morrison on Children.. Butterworths
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Updates to parts of part 2, division 4, on financial provision. In: Clarke Hall and Morrison on Children.. Butterworths
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Updates to parts of part 2, division 5, on family protection. In: Clarke Hall and Morrison on Children.. Butterworths
Lowe, N. V. 2006. The 2003 statistical study. The Judges' Newsletter 11, pp. 77-79.
Lowe, N. V. 2006. Gewöhnlicher aufenthalt, internationale kindesentführung and Brüssel II – verordnung. iFamZ 9, pp. 181-185.

2005

Lowe, N. V. 2005. To the best of the child? Handling the problem of international parental child abduction. In: Marauhn, T. ed. Internationaler Kinderschutz: Politische Rhetorik oder effektives Recht? [International Protection of Children: Political Rhetoric or Effective Right?].. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, pp. 73-95.
Lowe, N. V. and Beilfuss, C. G. 2005. Country report: Spain. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. and Hollingsworth, K. 2005. Country report: New Zealand. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. and Ruitenberg, G. 2005. Country report: Netherlands. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. and Vassalli di Dachenhausen, T. 2005. Country report: Italy. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. and Schuz, R. 2005. Country report: Israel. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

2004

Boele-Woelki, K.et al. 2004. Principles of European family law regarding divorce and maintenance between former spouses.. European Family Law Vol. 7.. Oxford: Intersentia.
Ferguson, N.et al. 2004. Grandparenting in divorced families.. Bristol: Policy Press.
Lowe, N. V. 2004. In the best interests of abducted children? securing their immediate return under the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention. In: Fulcheiron, H. ed. Les Enlévements D'Enfants Á Travers Les Frontiéres [Child Abduction Across Borders].. Brussels: Bruylant, pp. 245-264.
Lowe, N. V. 2004. Negotiating the revised Brussels II regulation. International Family Law(Nov), pp. 205-217.

2003

Lowe, N. V., Everall, M. and Nicholls, M. 2003. International movement of children: law, practice and procedure.. Bristol: Jordans.
Douglas, G. and Lowe, N. V. 2003. Annual review of international family law. In: Bainham, A. ed. The International Survey of Family Law.. Bristol: Family Law, pp. 1-24.
Lowe, N. V. 2003. The growing influence of the European Union on international family law - a view from the boundary. Current Legal Problems 56(1), pp. 439-480. (10.1093/clp/56.1.439)
Lowe, N. V. 2003. Regulating international parental child abduction - Brussels style. Contemporary Issues in Law 6(4), pp. 315-339.

2002

Carr, A. P., Lowe, N. V. and White, R. 2002. The Children Act in practice.. London: Butterworths Law.
Douglas, G. and Lowe, N. V. 2002. Annual review of international family law. In: Bainham, A. ed. The International Survey of Family Law.. Bristol: Family Law, pp. 1-20.
Lowe, N. V.et al. 2002. The plan for the child: adoption or long-term fostering?.. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.
Lowe, N. V. and Armstrong, S. 2002. Good practice in handling Hague Abduction Convention return applications. Project Report. Alexandria, VA: National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V. 2002. Article 5 (3) of the draft EU regulation on parental responsibility - dealing with child abduction. International Family Law, pp. 36-41.
Lowe, N. V. 2002. The Family Law Act 1986 - a critique. Family Law(Jan), pp. 39-60.
Lowe, N. V. 2002. The 1996 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children - a fresh appraisal. Child and Family Law Quarterly 14(2), pp. 191-206.
Lowe, N. V.et al. 2002. Country report: France. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: United States. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: United Kingdom. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: Mexico. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: Germany. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: Canada. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2002. Country report: Australia. Working paper. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

2001

Lowe, N. V., Armstrong, S. and Mathias, A. 2001. A statistical analysis of applications made in 1999 under the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the civil aspects of international child abduction. Project Report. The Hague, Netherlands: Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference.
Lowe, N. V. and Murch, M. 2001. Children's Participation in the family justice system - translating principles into practice. Child and Family Law Quarterly 13(2), pp. 137-158.
, . 2001. New international conventions affecting the law relating to children - a cause for concern?. International Family Law, pp. 171-181.

2000

Lowe, N. V. 2000. The work of the Hague Convention on private international law relating to children. Presented at: Fifth International Interdisciplinary Course on Children's Rights, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium, December 2000 Presented at Verhellen, E. ed.Understanding Children's Rights. Ghent Papers on Children's Rights Vol. 6. Gent: Ghent Children's Rights Centre, University of Gent pp. 491-502.
Lowe, N. V. 2000. The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: an English viewpoint. New York University Journal of International Law and Politics 33(1), pp. 179-206.

1999

Churchill, R. R. and Lowe, N. V. 1999. The law of the sea.. Melland Schill Studies in International Law. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Lowe, N. V. and Perry, A. 1999. International child abduction — the English experience. International and Comparative Law Quarterly 48(1), pp. 127-155. (10.1017/S0020589300062904)
Thomas, C.et al. 1999. Adopted children speaking.. London: British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.
Lowe, N. V.et al. 1999. Supporting adoption: reframing the approach.. London: British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.
Carr, P. et al. eds. 1999. Clarke Hall and Morrison on children.. London: Butterworths.

1996

Lowe, N. V. and Sufrin, B. 1996. Borrie and Lowe: the law of contempt. 3rd ed... London: Butterworths.

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