Ricky Seal practises exclusively in Family law, and is known for his expertise in Children Act proceedings.
He appears at all levels of the Family Court and in the Family Division of the High Court. He has also appeared in the Court of Appeal.
Ricky acts in both private law and public law proceedings.
He has experience of cases involving:
Ricky has completed the ICCA/FLBA’s Advocacy and the Vulnerable training.
Ricky regularly delivers talks and seminars. Recent topics have included “When private law threatens to become public law” and “Finding of fact hearings where non-physical abuse is alleged.”
Ricky is frequently instructed in private law children disputes by parents, family members and children.
Ricky’s private law cases range from those with no safeguarding issues to those involving allegations of significant harm (including domestic abuse, sexual abuse and parental alienation).
These cases include applications for child arrangements orders, specific issue orders, prohibited steps orders, enforcement orders and special guardianship orders. This includes cases under Pathfinder.”
Ricky’s cases have also included disputes around:
Notable cases
Re NQ: Ricky represented a mother at a three day final hearing who was seeking to vary an existing child arrangements order and to defend an application for an enforcement order.
Re RU: Ricky represented a father in linked private law proceedings and public law proceedings (where the father was an intervener). This included a ten-day finding of fact hearing where the father was alleged to be a potential perpetrator of an inflicted injury to a child.
Re LB: Ricky represented the child (by their guardian) in complex and lengthy proceedings involving allegations of significant emotional harm and parental alienation. Ricky’s involvement covered private law proceedings, appeal proceedings and public law proceedings. He represented the child at over nine hearings including a four-day private law final hearing, an appeal hearing and a four-day interim care order hearing.
Ricky is regularly instructed in care proceedings and acts at all stages of proceedings. He represents local authorities, parents, interveners, and children.
Ricky has been instructed in cases involving the inherent jurisdiction, wardship and deprivation of liberty. He has appeared in linked directions in criminal and care proceedings.
Ricky also has experience of contested Adoption Act proceedings both at the permission stage and where parents have been given permission to oppose an adoption order.
Published cases
Re M (Care Order: Risk: Family Placement [2025] EWCA Civ 163: Ricky (led by Lorna Meyer KC) represented the local authority before the Court of Appeal. Ricky also represented the local authority at first instance. The case concerned a parent’s ability to protect the child from the future risks posed by the other parent (a convicted sex offender).
Re A & B (Children) (Contested Adoption) [2022] EWFC 17: Ricky represented the local authority in a contested application for an adoption order where the parents had already been given permission to oppose the making of an adoption order.
Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27: Ricky represented one of the children (by their guardian) in this 17-week finding of fact hearing into allegations of serial intra-familial and inter-familial child sexual abuse.
Other notable cases
Re RU: Ricky represented a father in linked private law proceedings and public law proceedings (where the father was an intervener). This included a ten-day finding of fact hearing where the father was alleged to be a potential perpetrator of an inflicted injury to a child.
Re LB: Ricky represented the child (by their guardian) in complex and lengthy proceedings involving allegations of significant emotional harm and parental alienation. Ricky’s involvement covered private law proceedings, appeal proceedings and public law proceedings. He represented the child at over nine hearings including a four-day private law final hearing, an appeal hearing and a four-day interim care order hearing.
Re OS: Ricky represented the child (by their guardian) in public law proceedings and proceedings under the inherent jurisdiction. The case concerned the steps to be taken where a child subject to an interim care order had been abducted abroad.
Re RP: Ricky represented the local authority in a six day finding of fact hearing into allegations of serious physical abuse and beatings by the parents.
Ricky also accepts instructions in relation to applications for non-molestation orders. He regularly acts for both applicants and respondents. This includes both stand alone proceedings and those linked to Children Act proceedings.
Date: 3 Jul 2025
Time: 9am - 4:30pm
Location: No5 Barristers' Chambers
On 21 February 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Re M (Care Order: Risk: Family Placement) [2025] EWCA Civ 163. Stefano Nuvoloni KC and…
Ricky also sits on No5’s pupillage committee.
He sat on the YRes West Midlands committee for over five years.
Date: 3 Jul 2025
Time: 9am - 4:30pm
Location: No5 Barristers' Chambers
On 21 February 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Re M (Care Order: Risk: Family Placement) [2025] EWCA Civ 163. Stefano Nuvoloni KC and…
