The Law Society of England and Wales says it has “widespread and serious concerns” over the proposed increase in funding the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is seeking in its 2026-2027 business plan. In its response
Just 16 days into her new role as CEO of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX), the Mazur ruling and subsequent appeal thrust Jennifer Coupland into one of the biggest crises legal services has
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published updated guidance on on supervision arrangements following the Mazur case. In the wake of the Court of Appeal ruling, which held that unqualified staff could continue to undertake
The Home Office says urgent action is needed to identify the signs of economic abuse after research revealed one in five young men do not consider controlling someone’s spending as abuse. A survey conducted by
Noelle Heath is a partner and head of family law at Morrish Solicitors, based in Leeds, where she manages a varied caseload for private clients and trade union members. She is a member of Resolution
To help firms select technology that meets ongoing needs, Today’s Conveyancer invited four experts to share their top tips on identifying and implementing the right combination of software. Our first two part focused on fragmented
Two reports commissioned by the Legal Services Board (LSB) examining the use of artificial intelligence in legal services have concluded it has the potential to reduce unmet legal needs, but safeguards are needed to protect
A “wide-ranging” consultation on the Legal Ombudsman’s Scheme Rules has been launched to tackle what the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) has described as a response to “unprecedented levels of demand.” Driven by a 37%
The Legal Services Board (LSB) and Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) will play key roles in the newly established AI Growth Lab, a government-led advisory sandbox intended to accelerate the development and deployment of AI
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (CTJ) has published updated remote participation guidance for the Civil and Family courts following a cross-jurisdictional review of the use of remote participation in proceedings to ensure there is proper
Francesca Cozens is a senior associate in the Family team at Knights. She advises on all aspects of family breakdown, with particular expertise in divorce, financial matters, and complex children cases, including international relocation and
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has appointed Jelena Lentzos as director of strategy, policy and engagement. She will lead the LSB’s strategy, policy, and research teams at what the organisation said is a “pivotal moment
To help firms select technology that meets ongoing needs, Today’s Conveyancer invited four experts to share their top tips on identifying and implementing the right combination of software. In the first of a three-part series,
A landmark judgment in Northern Ireland will have implications for the whole of the UK, after the Supreme Court overruled consent precedent set in Cheshire West. In a decision which has left many charities reeling,
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed the first intended actions to come out of recent client money consultations. “Higher risk” firms with a turnover of more than £600,000, or holding more than £2 million
The number of self-employed consultant lawyers within alternative legal service provider (ALSP) platforms has topped 5,000 – a 25% increase in just 12 months. The numbers have been revealed in the fourth Platform Firms Report
The Legal Aid Agency has called for greater capacity in areas across the country and has invited firms to submit bids to support access to legal advice and justice. Providers will deliver work under the
A quiet revolution is underway in family justice. In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast, James Evans, Head of Strategic Growth at Nova and trustee of the newly launched Separated Parenting Programme Directory,
The Law Society of England and Wales council has elected Jeff Lewis as its new deputy vice president. Lewis will take office in October 2026, become vice president in 2027 and president of the Law
All Business and Property Courts are set to become part of a new Business and Property Division of the judiciary. The changes – which will include the Property, Trusts and Probate list – are intended
Sophia Mellor qualified in 2007 and initially practised as a criminal solicitor. She later moved to practise in family law, holding a mixed caseload of private and public family law matters for several years. Sophia
Former president of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has been appointed patron of Family Rights Group (FRG), a charity focused on reform of the child welfare and family justice systems. FRG has spent 50
Scottish private equity firm Aliter Capital has completed its third law firm acquisition in two years, in a move which will see the creation of a new legal group with a headcount of 150 and
To help firms select technology that meets ongoing needs, Today’s Family Lawyer invited four experts to share their top tips on identifying and implementing the right combination of software. In the first of a three-part
Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) chair Anna Bradley has stepped down after eight years in the role, with the formal process for identifying her successor beginning on 1st June. In a statement published on the SRA
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has published it strategic plan for the next three years, building on its stated commitment that children should be able to say they have experienced
Decades of legal inaction have left millions of cohabiting couples in England and Wales “dangerously exposed”, a specialist family barrister has warned, and legal professionals should take matters into their own hands when advising clients.
The introduction of legislation criminalising the wrongful retention of children abroad is a welcome development, by a family law solicitor warns the change won’t protect families that are already affected. The newly enacted Crime and
The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) proposed model complaints resolution procedure (MCRP), but warned the organisation must be clear on how the strategy will be rolled out. Last
Sarah Dodds is a senior associate in Birketts’ Bristol office. She has more than a decade of experience in family law, with her case load comprising high-conflict child arrangements and complex financial remedy matters. The
A conference focused on small and mid-sized law firms is being staged by legal and professional services marketing firm Consortium in October. The Legal Conference 2026 will take place on Thursday 15th October 2026 at
June Venters KC has has called for lawyers to be “properly safeguarded” after a litigant subjected two professionals to a “total nightmare” via email and TikTok videos. Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC recently
Over 1,000 CILEX lawyers have successfully obtained litigation practice rights, enabling them to carry out litigation without the need for supervision, in the wake of the Mazur judgment. CILEx Regulation (CRL), which oversees the education,
The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has received the £7 million funding needed to extend it for a further 12 months, Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC has confirmed. The scheme, which provides eligible couples with up
“Effectively procuring, adopting, and using technologies takes skill and resources” the Bar Standards Board (BSB) says in newly published guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in practice. Guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence
The latest Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast turns its attention to one of the profession’s most persistent, and least openly discussed, challenges: the impact of maternity leave on women’s careers in law. While the legal sector