Government rejects legal definition for honour-based abuse
The government has declined to establish a legal definition for honour-based abuse, despite recommendations from the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) made in July. This comes as WEC stated in July that so-called honour-based abuse risks remaining a hidden crime without improved victim support and law enforcement focus. In a report that was been published, […]
Outstanding Achievement award for Professional Paralegal Register founder
The founder of the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) was formally recognised for the outstanding work she has done to develop the role of paralegals across the legal community at a special awards ceremony last night. PPR founder Rita Leat was presented with the prestigious awards a the fifth annual National Paralegal Awards, hosted at The […]
Home Secretary urges Meta to protect children from sexual abuse
The Home Secretary Suella Braverman has urged Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on its platforms without robust safety measures that ensure children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in messaging channels. Meta has publicly announced plans to roll out end-to-end encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger imminently which will put children across […]
Risk to mental health in the workplace – what are they and how to manage them
It is World Mental Health Day on 10th October: an opportunity to raise awareness and campaign for change. This year we want to highlight the responsibilities of employers to create mentally healthy workplaces. The traditional view of health and safety in the workplace is evolving to include the risks to mental health in workplaces and […]
Advanced Notice: Family Rules Procedure Committee annual open event
The Family Procedure Rule Committee will conduct their annual open event where attendees will be able to observe proceedings and put questions to the Committee. The meeting will take place at 11am on Monday 6 November 2023 via MS. Questions may be sent in advance and although attendees will not be involved in the normal […]
The Family Courts are failing domestic abuse survivors
In July, Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, released her report on the need for change in the way domestic abuse is understood and dealt with in the Family Court system, entitled “The Family Court and domestic abuse: achieving cultural change”. In the 77-page document, Ms Jacobs set out how survivors of domestic abuse feel […]
Family lawyers brace for impact of MCA 1973 review
Debate surrounding proposed reforms to the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 is beginning to ramp up as lawyers in London – often dubbed the “divorce capital of the world – ponder the potentially seismic impact of the Law Commission’s review. The government commissioned a review of the 50-year-old legislation that governs how financial assets are divided […]
Deprivation of liberty orders – “Care or incarceration?”
Court measures which place children under severe restrictions due to concerns about their welfare are being used to deprive them of their liberty according to the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO). NJFO has identified 1,249 children in the year to June 2023 were subject to deprivation of liberty orders (DoL) and live with severe restrictions […]
Children and finance on the agenda at FLBA Conference 2023
Family law bar and judiciary practitioners are invited to attend the upcoming Family Law Bar Association conference in Bristol on 14th October to discuss the latest updates across children and finance matters. The Conference, chaired by Mrs Justice Judd and opened by Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, will provide members the opportunity […]
Innovation in family law
Every year in the UK, around 280,000 children see their parents separate. How those separations happen will affect the rest of those children’s lives. The negative effects of poorly handled divorce and separation on children are extensively documented. The Children Act of 1989 sets out a vision that promotes parental responsibility, with child welfare at […]
The Perfect Lawyer
Following a short break over the Summer, the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast returns with host David Opie speaking with Simon McCrum. There isn’t much Simon McCrum doesn’t know about running a law firm having been there, done it, and got the t-shirt. In this discussion Simon shares a little about his background and how he […]
PII costs “not expected to fall in the near term”
Joint research by the Legal Services Board (LSB) and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has identified key trends in the professional indemnity insurance market. The research found that the average PII premium is now equivalent to 5% of a law firm’s annual turnover but also points to the potential for continued market consolidation as one fifth […]
VAWG sector demands an end to violence against women and girls
Ahead of the next general election, a coalition of 70 leading organisations working to end VAWG has published a joint manifesto calling on all political parties to adopt its priorities for ending this abuse. The VAWG experts and specialist organisations have come together to set out their priorities for the next government, calling for a […]
Parental responsibility as a form of coercive control
Ordinarily, the law expects those with parental responsibility to work together to reach agreements in children’s best interests. Ultimately, if those with parental responsibility cannot resolve a dispute, the court can be asked to make a decision as a last resort. It is very rare for parental responsibility to be taken away or restricted. But […]
