Covert tracking leads to court intervention in children’s foster care case
Two parents were told they were damaging their own efforts to have their children returned to them after planting covert tracking devices into their children’s bag and toys while they were in foster care. The case of RE BM (Children: Tracking Devices) centred on the discovery of tracking devices hidden inside a bag and toys […]
Reduced private law sitting days creates ‘uncertainty’ as opportunities for FDR cut
Family professionals have been left ‘extremely concerned’ by the news there will be significant cuts to the number sitting days in the London Financial Remedies Court, reducing the number of opportunities for financial remedies proceedings. Speaking this week, the president of the family division, Sir Andrew McFarlane said judicial resources will be cut due to […]
Former partners set up boutique practice under consultant banner
Two former law firm partners have joined forces to launch their own family practice under the umbrella of the Excello Law consultant banner. G&G Law is a boutique family firm based in London’s Holborn, founded by former partner at Grayfords Legal 500 ‘leading partner’ Neil Graham, and Natasha Grande former Partner and Head of the […]
HMRC consultation raises uncertainty of lawyers’ role as tax advisers
A government consultation on the registration of all organisations who provide tax advice and interact with HMRC could see lawyers required to register with the agency under new legislation. HMRC have identified a need to raise minimum standards across tax advisors with the proposed changes designed to ‘improve HMRC’s ability to monitor and exclude tax […]
SILAS user registration and get started guides launched
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has begun publishing user guides and frequently asked questions for its new portal ‘Signing into Legal Aid Services’ (SILAS) developed in the wake of the cyber attack which rendered the agency’s portal unusable. A new ‘LAA SILAS Help and Information‘ has been published on gov.uk which currently hosts the information. […]
Children and families let down amid lack of urgency from government – Public Accounts Committee
Children and families are being let down by unacceptably long delays in family courts, and inconsistent timescales across the country according to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report into improving family court services for children. Family courts were identified by PAC as an area of inspection in its latest round of inquiries announced in May […]