The children law sub-committee of the Law Society's family law committee currently has four vacancies that it is seeking to fill.

The sub-committee aims to keep under review and promote improvements to the law, practice and procedure of public law Children Act proceedings and adoption, and to respond to consultation papers and other initiatives put forward in this area by the government and others.

The sub-committee also deals with aspects of private law children issues, as may be referred by the family law committee.

The sub-committee's tasks are to support members of the profession and to assist the Law Society in its law reform work in representing practitioners' interests and those of their clients.

The sub-committee seeks applications from practitioners who can demonstrate skills and/or experience in one or more of the following areas:

- Public children law;- Adoption law and/or inter-country adoption law;- Local authority representation;- Private children law; - European issues.

Applicants should have an active interest in law reform and practice issues of importance to the profession, and be able to contribute ideas and practical experience through attendance at sub-committee meetings (four per year - attendance expenses paid) and working parties on specific issues as necessary.

Applications are particularly welcome from ethnic minority people and disabled people, who are currently under-represented on the sub-committee.

Application packs are available from Ashmita Shah at the Law Society, tel: 020 7320 5760; fax: 020 7320 5673 or e-mail: ashmita.shah@lawsociety.org.uk.

Alternatively, write to Ashmita Shah, Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL or DX 56 London/Chancery Lane.

For further information about the work of the sub-committee, contact the secretary, Rachel Rogers, tel: 020 7320 5815.

The closing date for applications is 29 October 2003.

Interviews will be held on 11 November 2003.