Scots back further discussion on legalising assisted dying
The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of moving the assisted dying debate forward by a count of 70 to 56, with one abstention. The bill, which was tabled by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, passed the first vote in the Scottish Parliament although even supporters wanted to see changes made before they wrre prepared […]
Self-styled “Joe Donor” loses high court bid for access to children he fathered
A sperm donor has lost his High Court case to be named on birth certificates with the judge ruling it was likely the proceedings were started to support an immigration application. Self-styled “Joe Donor” Robert Albon is an unregulated sperm donor originally from the USA who now resides in the northeast of England. He started […]
Law Commission could recommend changes to marriage revoking a Will
The upcoming Law Commission Report on Wills is due to be published on Friday 16th May and it is thought it could recommend changes to rules where a Will is revoked in the event of marriage or civil partnership. The report, which has sought views on a range of potential and climactic reforms to private […]
Surrogacy reform won’t go ahead as government focus on other “key priorities”
It has been confirmed the government will not take forward a any proposed bill to introduce reform to surrogacy law in a blow for campaigners keen to update the current outdated legislation. Despite what appeared to be momentum after The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed minister Baroness Merron met with the Law Commission […]
Guidance published for IDVAs and ISVAs
New guidance for the role of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and updated guidance for Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) has been published to provide consistency of support for victims say the government. The guidance has been produced in line with the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 Section 16 (1) which provides a duty on […]
Providing family legal services for the changing nature of modern relationships
In this latest Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast host David Opie welcomes Laura Tanguay and Lucy Birch from Birketts LLP to discuss the launch of their Modern Families service. Lucy Birch is a senior associate in the family team, and Laura Tanguay is a legal director in the property disputes team; with the podcast exploring how […]
The case for a trauma-informed approach to family law
Too often, divorce is approached as a legal or logistical battle, without adequately accounting for the emotional weight that sits behind every meeting, every phone call, and every decision. The focus in the family court system tends to be on resolution – who gets what, who lives where, how finances are split. But by focussing […]