The Industry Working Group (IWG) on the electronic execution of documents have launched their consultation which can be found here. If you wish to submit a response to this consultation, please send it (in Word

A Scottish family law expert has issued a warning to those considering a “DIY” sperm donor agreement instead of going through regulated clinics. Tom Quail, family law specialist at Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP, says

It is vitally important that people who may not have capacity to make decisions about their care do not lose essential protections, the Law Society of England and Wales said in its response to the

A landmark report by the Law Commission has set out how decades old marriage laws need to be updated to reflect our modern society, meaning couples will have more choice on how and where they

Neonatal Care Bill: additional paid leave for parents of children requiring specialist care

Government backs new law to provide additional paid leave to parents whose babies require specialist care after birth. Thousands of parents whose babies require specialist care after birth will be able to take additional paid

2020 reveals lowest number of same-sex civil partnerships since 2005

Only 785 civil partnerships were formed between same-sex couples in England and Wales in 2020, compared with 6,925 marriages, new research shows. In 2020, the number of civil partnerships in England and Wales saw its

Half of small businesses forced to increase prices as they battle rising costs

Almost half (49%) of all small business owners in the UK are set to increase their prices as they look to battle rising costs, a new report reveals. The SME Insights Report, released by Simply

Funding provided to charities and legal advice centres in civil and family legal disputes is welcomed by the Law Society of England and Wales, who warned there must be proper investment in the whole legal

Courts and Tribunals : Reporting COVID-19 incidents

The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has published a recent interview with Recorder Nicola Williams. In an interview with the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Recorder Nicola Williams discusses her career and journey into the judiciary. In

Curfews proposed for parents who fail to pay child maintenance

Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance could face curfews, as Ministers plan new powers for the Child Maintenance Service. The change is being considered as part of fresh proposals that will get more of

Government announces new measures to reduce childcare costs

The government has announced ambitious new plans to improve the cost, choice and availability of childcare that will benefit hundreds of thousands of parents across the country. The UK has some of the highest-quality childcare

Divorce case criticised for "unprincipled" financial remedy proceedings

A recent divorce case which led to “feral, unprincipled and unnecessarily expensive financial remedy proceedings” has led to heavy scrutiny and criticism by Family Court Judge Stephen Wildblood QC. In the case, which involved a

Revised sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences

The courts and tribunals judiciary has announced revised sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences. New sentencing guidelines for the offence of sexual communication with a child (s15A of the Sexual Offences Act) came into force

The Justice Committee published the UK government’s response to its report into court capacity last week. Sustained investment is required to enable the overstretched justice system to recover from years of underfunding and cuts, exacerbated

Legal aid champions got some well-deserved recognition at Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards held on 12th July. Finalists gathered in London to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards, organised by the

Family Court statistics: backlogs and delays continue

The latest quarterly family court statistics have been published. Latest statistics show a decrease in the number of cases started in the Family Courts, with 68,134 new cases started in January to March 2022, down

In a recent Prime Minister’s questions, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said he did not believe there was a “strong case for change” on the abortion issue, and has rejected calls for a right

Gender recognition application modernised

Minister of State for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, has launched a new service which modernises the process of applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate. In a press release the Government said it has committed to modernising

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be given new powers to fine rule-breakers up to £25,000, under measures introduced yesterday (29 June 2022). The changes mean the SRA can now fine law firms and individual

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