Court of Appeal sets aside adoption after ‘serious irregularities’ found during evaluation
The Court of Appeal has removed a child from his adoptive parents because they hid facts including that the mother was in a new relationship with a violent criminal accused of child sex offending. In M (A Child: Adoption: Duty of Disclosure) the court heard that, even before an adoption order was made last year, […]
Court of Appeal ruling ‘delivers judicial clarity in international matrimonial proceedings’
A landmark Court of Appeal ruling has delivered judicial clarity on domicile of choice, domicile of origin and forum disputes in international matrimonial proceedings. The judgment in Ferrara v Ferrara, in which UK law firm Mills & Reeve represented Mrs Ferrara, is expected to become an important authority for family law practitioners dealing with cross-border […]
VAWG efforts take a hit with high profile ministerial resignations
The government’s efforts to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) could be affected by the resignations of two of its most vocal advocates in protest at Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party. Junior justice minister Alex Davies-Jones (pictured) and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips have both resigned, as calls for the prime minister […]
SRA seeks 29% funding increase ‘to move from reactive to proactive regulation’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed a £50 increase in individual practising fees, taking the annual fee to £240. Compensation fund contributions are expected to be set at £120 for an individual solicitor and £3,600 for an SRA-regulated firm. Individual combined fees, which cover the practising certificate fee and compensation fund contribution, would rise […]
Child born to foreign surrogate can be beneficiary of family trust, court rules
The High Court has ruled that a child born to a foreign surrogate mother can be added as a beneficiary of family trusts, in a case that has highlighted the challenges modern parenthood poses to old trust structures. Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath, and his wife, Marchioness Emma Thynn, wanted the court’s “blessing” […]
Court orders the return of abducted children to Zimbabwe in complex Hague Convention case
The High Court has ordered the summary return of two girls to their home in Zimbabwe, following their removal to England by their mother in April 2025. National law firm Mills & Reeve represented the father in the case of RS and TU [2025] EWHC 3352 (Fam), securing the return of his daughters, aged 10 […]
The myth of the amicable divorce
Sana Saddique, managing director of Collective Law Solicitors, explains why amicable divorce is anything but, and asks why family lawyers are often the scapegoats in acrimonious splits. Few phrases have become more commercially appealing within modern family law than the idea of the amicable divorce. Clients ask for it at initial consultations. Social media […]