Women & Equalities Committee: end “inferior” protections for cohabiting couples
Calls for cohabitation law reform are being led by a group of cross-party MPs who say that cohabiting couples have “inferior” protections to those who are married or within a civil partnership. The Women and Equalities Committee has published a new report titled “The Rights of Cohabiting Partners”, highlighting the lack of protection against the […]
Exclusive: Legal Ombudsman responds to criticism in national press
In an exclusive interview with Today’s Media, the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has responded to criticism in the national press. The Times released an article on July 30th criticising the LeO for long wait times for people who claim to have been misled by their solicitors. The LeO has responded by stating that The Times was […]
Understanding the scale of domestic abuse during the pandemic
The Office for National Statistics has brought together data sources to provide the best understanding of the scale of domestic abuse, sexual offences and violence against women and girls during the pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on survey collection has meant a data gap in understanding the sheer prevalence of these crimes. The ONS […]
Lessons to be learned as Sir Frederick Barclay faces jail
The High Court judgment against British business tycoon Sir Frederick Barclay, handed down on 28th July, demonstrates an unambiguous enforceability of family law orders. If one fails to abide by the orders made against them, they may find themselves in contempt of court, and criminal proceedings could ensue regardless of the extent of their wealth. […]
In conversation with 4PB’s Mani Basi: parental alienation
Today’s Family Lawyer speaks with Mani Basi of 4PB Barristers to deconstruct the concept of parental alienation. Mani – what actually is parental alienation? It is a complex term to define, particularly in the context of family law proceedings. Defining “parental alienation” has received a lot of debate in recent times and some argue that […]
Consultation launched on sentencing guidelines for child cruelty offences
Plans to update sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of child cruelty offences in England and Wales – including causing or allowing death, serious injury or neglect – have been published by the Sentencing Council for consultation following changes to legislation. The proposals introduce a new “very high culpability” level for the most serious cases to reflect […]
National Surrogacy Week: an analysis of H v United Kingdom
Extended feature: commentary on H v United Kingdom In the second article in the National Surrogacy Week series, Natalie Sutherland, partner at Burgess Mee Family Law, looks at a European Court of Human Rights case which involved a young girl born through surrogacy. The girl took the UK Government to Strasbourg claiming that she had […]
Is there a place for Separation Agreements now that the divorce laws have been changed?
Prior to the introduction of the no-fault divorce this year, many separating married couples who managed to reach an out of court financial settlement at an early stage of their separation historically chose to enter into Separation Agreements – a legal document drawn up by family lawyers. This document would typically reflect the financial arrangements […]
How family businesses can weather the emotional and financial storm of divorce proceedings
The Ministry of Justice has released statistics which show that there has been a sharp increase in the number of divorce applications that have been made since the last quarter, and the impact of a divorce on a family business cannot be underestimated. The English Family Courts have extensive powers to order the sale and […]
Update to the closure of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund
I have previously written about the SRA’s proposed closure of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund. The overwhelming response to the SRA’s consultation which ended in February 2022 was for the fund to remain open and as a result the fund was given a further year until September 2023. Since February 2022, the SRA have been consulting further. […]
Dads House family law clinic extends support for families
The support offered to families by Dads House family law clinic has been further strengthened after Cansford Laboratories announced its sponsorship of the charity. Led by experienced lawyers, assisted by barristers from Coram Chambers, the Dads House Family Law clinics help parents and ensure children remain the priority during and after divorce, separation, or bereavement. […]
HMCTS issues FPL portal guidance on issuing child assessment orders
Local Authorities will be able to commence proceedings with a child assessment application within the digital service, there will no longer be a requirement for these to be sent and issued at the local court. For the full guidance with images to show the step-by-step process, click here. Guidance on how to issue a child […]
