Linda Shay Gardner

Since 1995, attorney Gardner has worked or advised on approximately 300 Hague Convention or other family abduction cases. She routinely works to return children under the Hague Convention on Child Abduction and related family law issues (including divorce and support), and consults in cases in which there is no bilateral treaty. She has represented and consulted with attorneys, private organizations, foreign governmental agencies and parents in cases involving: Aruba, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong,  Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria. Northern Ireland, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Scotland, U.A.E. and Venezuela. She also also represents clients involved in interstate custody litigation and has appeared in jurisdictions in various other state courts and in federal courts to represent clients in these matters. This litigation usually centers on the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. On many occasions, attorney Gardner has provided her services without charge or at a substantially reduced fee to parents whose children have been lost through international parental abduction, and attorney Gardner provides her services gratis through North Penn Legal Services to clients who meet their (legal aid) financial qualifications. Attorney Gardner maintains a small practice in Bethlehem, with a focus on family law matters. She has been responsible for the return of many children to their parents after the wrongful abduction by the other parent. Working with families to be reunited with their children around the globe has brought an international dimension to the legal profession in Bethlehem. – Private Law Delegate representing the United States at the Third Meeting of the Special Commission to Discuss the Operation of the Hague Convention on Child Abduction, at The Hague, March 17-21, 1997‍– Routinely consulted by the Office of Children’s Issues, Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State regarding abduction cases