Madeleine Mendy
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Madeleine is head of the Family Law practice at Bin Sevan. She represents her clients in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and English courts.
Madeleine represents and advices UAE-based expats on Family Law matters including divorce, child relocation and child protection through the Dubai, Abu Dhabi or English courts.
Subsidised legal aid is not possible. Bin Sevan Advocates does offer reduced fees or pro bono services for individuals who cannot afford their legal advices.
Relevant experiences and positions
Madeleine has a vast experience and expertise as a qualified Solicitor (England and Wales) and legal consultant in Dubai. She is the head of the Bin Sevan Family Law practice and provides General Counsel services to HNW clients, various expat owned companies and Family Businesess in the UAE. She also provides tailored advice to selected clients in relation to Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, and Wils/ Probate matters.
Madeleine is a Lecturer at Middlesex University in Dubai.
Madeleine shares free legal information about UAE law on her Instagram account.
Some personal questions
What is your advice to parents who are thinking about relocating with a child?
My advice to parents considering relocating with a child is to attend mediation and explore whether, despite the distance, a level of contact can be maintained between the child and the remaining parent to ensure their bond remains strong. The court is not the right forum for resolving relocation disputes involving parents and children.
What is your (practical) advice to parents, to make relocation easier for a child?
My practical advice to a parent would be to ensure that communication does not break down between the child and the remaining parent, despite any tension that may arise between the parents. The child should be encouraged to maintain a relationship with both parents and with the relationships they have left behind. I also believe that the relocating parent should commit to regular visits to the child’s original country of residence to ensure that the child doesn’t lose touch with other established relationships and their connection to the initial country of residence.
When did you first handle a child abduction case?
The first child abduction case I handled occurred at the start of my legal career when I was working for a firm in England. The mother was a Kenyan national who had been married to an Indian-British national through an arranged marriage. A child was born from that union, and at the time of the hearing, the child was three years old. Shortly after the marriage, the mother moved to England to join the father, but due to various pressures, the marriage broke down. The mother initially applied to the court for permission to return to her country of origin, Kenya, with the child. However, the court denied her request for leave to remove the child. Ultimately, she decided to flee with the child. This case remains etched in my memory, as it was clear that the mother was suffering by staying in England, and the father was deeply concerned that his relationship with the child would be forever altered.
