The fourth annual Domestic Abuse Conference Bristol brought together almost 100 professionals and frontline workers from across England and Wales to share learning, strengthen partnerships and promote survivor-centred practice. The not-for-profit conference, founded and organised
The accidental publication of the content of the budget by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) nearly made more headlines than the content of Labour’s much-anticipated budget which threatened fireworks and delivered ‘no return to
Domestic abuse continues to cast a long shadow across England and Wales said one family law professional as the latest data on the prevalence of domestic abuse in society was revealed in the latest Office
Recruitment and retention; almost always one of the top three items on the agenda at every partners meeting. Collaboration between education and industry could help professionals bridge the gap and identify new recruits at an
A Whitehaven firm has been sanctioned for incorrectly retaining residual balances for almost 10 years, with one balance worth over £50,000. Brockbank Curwen Cain & Hall Limited was investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in
The government must act now to modernise wills, or risk leaving many people’s final wishes unprotected, the Law Society of England and Wales has said. In May 2025, the Law Commission published its report Modernising
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
Anyone who becomes a company director or person with significant control (PSC) will now have to verify their identity with Companies House. Identity verification is now a compulsory part of incorporation and new appointments for
New powers will see government authorise designated bodies like AI developers and child protection organisations to scrutinise artificial intelligence (AI) models, and ensure safeguards are in place to prevent them generating or proliferating child sexual
The Pathfinder courts pilot is to be rolled out further across the Midlands at courts in Wolverhampton, Worcester and Stoke-on-Trent following its success in Dorset, North and South East Wales, Birmingham and West Yorkshire. First
In a test case following plans to revoke the automatic right of parental involvement in family proceedings a judge has been asked to determine the future of a three and a half year old child
Pathfinder courts, currently being piloted in South East Wales, North Wales, Birmingham and Dorset, are reducing the time it takes from court application to final order; in some cases more than halving it in newly
Tributes have poured in for Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, who has passed away following a short illness. In a statement from the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner, a representative
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has come under fire from the Law Society after it admitted it wouldn’t hit its target of delivering the next phase of the rollout of the new online system replacing
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has is reported to be watering down plans to raise tax through the imposition of of a national insurance equivalent levy on limited liability partnerships. First reported in The Times, it had
Many UK solicitors believe the risks associated with client accounts have grown in recent years, but are concerned losing control of the accounts would impair their ability to deliver services effectively, according to a new
The Law Society of England and Wales has launched a new equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy for the solicitors’ profession. The strategy forms a key part of the Law Society’s 2025-2028 corporate strategy and
St. Albans headquartered Rayden Solicitors (Raydens) has been acquired by Fletchers Group; best know for it serious injury and clinical negligence operations, marking the first time the organisation has ventured into a new area of
Victims of intimate images shared online will have six times longer to come forward as amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill propose extending the current time limit from six months, to three years. People
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has published updated guidance for Judicial Office Holders on the use of tools which use artificial intelligence. The guidance, which replaces the previously published document from April 2025, reminds office
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has reviewed ‘a substantial body of data’ for a thematic review of source of funds and wealth compliance, and says it is ‘concerned by the continued levels of non-compliance’. Data
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has released its annual complaints data and insight for 2024/25, which reveals an increase in demand for help that has continued to rise significantly in the first half of 2025/26. The
A judge has delivered a stern warning of the risks of anonymous surrogacy arrangements in the case of B and C v D and H [2025] EWFC 366; echoing similar previous cases including Re H
CILEx regulated lawyers will be able to apply for standalone litigation practice rights in the areas of criminal, civil, and family litigation after the Legal Services Board (LSB) approved CILEx Regulation’s (CRL) application. Although work
In an unusual step the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has done little to quell speculation about upcoming tax increases in a speech in Downing Street. Both the Prime Minster and the Chancellor have
Solicitors must consider their ‘ethical obligations’ when posting and commenting on social media as comments could breach SRA Codes on client care, confidentiality, conflicts of interest and publicity warns the Law Society of England and
The Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes Co-founder and Head of Innovation at Family Law Partners and Founder of Nova Alan Larkin on to discuss his vision for family law. Through his career Larkin has championed
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released its Anti-Money Laundering Annual Report for 2024-25, a year in which the organisation says it made significant progress in preventing and detecting money laundering. With the government recently
The latest episode of Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes on Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner at Watkins Solicitors and Vice Chair of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group to discuss the impact of the Legal Aid Agency
Following a referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, the Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of a man who groomed a 14 year old girl. Abiola Adenmosun, from Chatham, Kent, began a relationship