Court of Appeal overturns Mazur in ‘most consequential judgment for legal services in recent history’
The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) in its appeal against Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, which limited the extent to which legal executives and paralegals can conduct litigation. In a statement released following the ruling, CILEX chief executive Jennifer Coupland said it was “the most […]
Mazur overturned: Legal sector reacts
Law firms and practitioners have responded to the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn the decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, which limited the extent to which legal executives and paralegals can conduct litigation. Following the Court of Appeal’s judgment, CILEx Regulation said its priority would be to support those who had been affected […]
Deprivation of liberty applications up 12.5% in 2025
Ministry of Justice figures have revealed a high of 1,440 deprivation of liberty (DoL) applications in 2025, up 12.5% since the previous year. Quarter four data in the Family Court Statistics Quarterly release reveals 379 children were subject to DoL applications, up from 321 in the same period in 2024. The 2025 figures were higher than 2024 in […]
Awards, acquisitions, launches and promotions in the latest round-up of family law news
Family lawyers are celebrating a raft of successes this month, with award wins, new service launches, acquisitions and promotions across the country. UK Top 150 law firm Trethowans has won the Innovative Marketing Award at the Legal Growth Awards for its The Candid Divorce Lawyer podcast, which aims to make discussions about divorce, separation and […]
New allocation guidance relating to children in the Family Court
The president of the Family Division has issued guidance on allocation and gatekeeping in respect of proceedings relating to children in the Family Court, in accordance with rule 21 of the Family Court (Composition and Distribution of Business) Rules 2014. This guidance applies to all proceedings relating to children issued in the Family Court on […]
Legal tech sees 35% increase in external investment as government invests £4.5m in incubator
LawtechUK, a Ministry of Justice-backed initiative supporting technology startups in the legal sector, has secured further funding to enable it to continue operating for the next three years. The programme, currently delivered in a partnership between CodeBase and Legal Geek, will receive an additional £4.5 million over the next three years. Last year, UK-founded lawtech […]
Case commentary: High Court refuses adoption application involving child from restricted country
In DD v AF & Ors, Kathy Walker, director in the Child Care team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, represented the child through the Children’s Guardian in the proceedings. Here, she breaks down the facts of the case and explains why the decision reinforces the principle that the court will always prioritise the welfare of the […]