Number of marriages fall by 9% following decades long downward trend
The number of marriages and civil partnerships fell by just under 9% in the year from 2022 to 2023 according to recently published Office for National Statistics (ONS) data; reflecting an overall trend since the 1970’s in falling numbers, and a reduction since a post-pandemic surge in 2021 and 2022 after couples were forced to […]
Pathfinder progress welcome but profession caveats with investment and outcome concerns
News of further rollout of the Pathfinder Courts programme has been welcomed by family practitioners but sounded a note of caution about whether outcomes are being properly measured and investment in the service is forthcoming. It was announced last week the Pathfinder courts in Wales, Dorset and West Yorkshire would be followed by further rollout […]
CILEX asks for permission to appeal Mazur ruling
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has applied for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the Mazur judgment, the High Court ruling that legal executives cannot conduct litigation, even under supervision by authorised firms. In a statement issued yesterday, CILEX said it ‘has held serious concerns’ about the ruling from Mr Justice Sheldon since it […]
Domestic abuse cases should be in scope for legal aid funding – Bar Council
The Bar Council has called for all family court cases involving domestic abuse to be brought within the scope of legal aid in a policy paper published this week. The body, which represents 18,000 barristers in England and Wales, has set out a package of recommendations to improve the ability of the family justice system […]
Care leavers to given more support to avoid being criminalised
Care leavers will be given more support by Government under plans to reduce the disproportionate number of vulnerable young people living in care who subsequently receive a criminal conviction or prison sentence. According to government people who have been in care are four times more likely to receive a criminal conviction and ten times more […]
New senior partner for PE-backed practice; Senior hires in regional and boutique firms
Private-equity backed law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood has appointed Charlotte Knappett, Head of Family Law, as its next Senior Partner. FJG is part of Lawfront, a national brand of law firms with regional focuses including Brachers, Farleys, Nelsons, Slater Heelis and most recently Trethowans. Knappett currently leads FJG’s Tier 1 ranked Family Law practice having […]
The changing role of co-parents post-pandemic
The Today’s Family Lawyer podcast explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on co-parenting through the eyes of family law professionals; with Sophie Lougher, Director and Senior Solicitor, and Kathryn Fanstone a Solicitor at Zeus Family Law sharing their insight and experiences. The Cardiff-based boutique firm was founded during the pandemic, driven by Sophie’s own […]
Could AI Judges Be the Key to Bias-Free Justice?
The legal profession is undergoing a moment of reckoning with artificial intelligence (AI). As AI systems rapidly enter legal workflows — from document review to sentencing algorithms — the question has moved from whether AI belongs in the courtroom to how far it should go. Could AI Judges be the next radical step? Could they […]