Winner Announced: IAFL European Chapter Young Lawyers' Award 2026
Posted: 26 Jun 2026
Femke Boymans has been announced as the winner of the 14th IAFL European Chapter Annual Award for Young Family Lawyers.
Entrants were asked to write 3,000 words on a case study regarding parental responsibility, maintenance and matrimonial assets.
The judging panel, comprising IAFL Fellows Alexandre Boiché (France), Sandra Verburgt (Netherlands), Ruth Cabeza (England & Wales), Karen O'Leary (Ireland & Northern Ireland), Olga Khazova (Russian Federation), Alberto Perez-Cedillo (Spain and England), Marzia Ghigliazza (Italy) Gunilla Olson Sarvik (Sweden) and Silvia Katzenmaier (Germany) were were impressed by the quality of the 16 submissions from 8 jurisdictions.
Alexandre Boiché said,
'We were delighted by the number of entries received, all of which were of an exceptionally high standard. The submissions showcased excellent writing skills, making the judging process both enjoyable and challenging. The quality across the board was truly commendable.
We look forward to sharing details of the 2027 Young Lawyers Award later this year.'
Femke Boymans, Braak Advocaten, Netherlands receives €1,000 as part of her prize. The two runners up, Alicia Fernandez Fontalba, Michelmores, England and Emma Jamison, Family Lawyer, Northern Ireland are each awarded €500.
They have also been invited to attend the IAFL Introduction to European Family Law Conference 15 - 16 October 2026 in Tirana, Alabania. Femke will also have the opportunity to present her paper as part of the conference programme. All three winners will receive a free registration to the conference, as well as a €500 contribution towards travel and accommodation.
The topic for the European Chapter Young Lawyers Award 2027 will be announced after the IAFL Annual Meeting in Dublin. Participation in this competition provides an excellent opportunity for any young family lawyer wishing to gain acknowledged expertise in the field of international family law.
We are very grateful to the judging panel this year for all their work in reviewing and selecting the winning entrants from an overall excellent number of submissions.
