Home secretary launches international coalition to end violence against women and girls
Women and girls will be better protected against violence and abuse thanks to a new international coalition. The International Coalition to End Violence against Women and Girls brings together eight countries that will work together so that women and girls can live free from fear, the home secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) announced last week. South […]
Family firms share latest successes
Family law firms across the country have been sharing their latest successes, with award wins, milestone anniversaries, promotions and new partners. International Family Law Group managing partner Lucy Loizou (main picture) is celebrating after being named global winner of the prestigious Contribution to Society Award at the CYDIA Awards 2026, and Family Lawyer of the Year […]
EXCLUSIVE: KC calls for better safeguarding after litigant ‘ruins lawyers’ lives’
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 granted an interim injunction against David Protheroe-Beynon after June Venters KC, representing both claimants pro bono, told the court of […]
Man who ‘terrorised’ lawyers via TikTok issued with injunction
A man who used TikTok videos and emails to harass lawyers in a Family Court case has been issued with an injunction. The videos accused a barrister of “dishonesty and professional misconduct in very bald terms”, Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC said in dismissing the attacks and agreeing the interim injunction against David […]
Survey reveals widespread use of unauthorised and open source AI, breaching client confidentiality
A survey has revealed nearly two thirds of fee earners admit to using open source artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, potentially compromising client data and confidentiality. The research by legal software company Access Legal revealed 59% of the 200 UK legal professionals surveyed by Censuswide said they had used unapproved AI applications, like the […]
Judge releases name and picture of child abducted by father mistakenly released from prison
A judge has taken the unusual step of releasing the name and picture of a child, and of the father who abducted him, after the father was mistakenly freed from prison. Judge Hayden said he hoped publicity would help in returning Ifedayo Adeyeye (pictured left) to custody, despite the privacy element of the European Convention […]
Cafcass demand is up 7% over 12 months
Demand for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Services (Cafcass) grew by 7.2% over the course of 2026, with 3,982 more cases being dealt with year-on-year from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2025. In its latest published data, Cafcass said it saw service demand increase 4.7% in public law cases and by 8.2% […]
Family law firm claims UK first with 24-hour live legal Q&A
An Oxford-based family law firm is claiming a ‘UK first’ as it gears up to host a live, 24-hour question and answer session across its social media platforms. Family First Solicitors, which says it is “one of the most-followed family law communities on Facebook”, will host the continuous live Q&A simultaneously on Facebook and YouTube […]
US parents with $2,500 child support debt to have passports revoked
American parents who owe “significant child support” will have their passports revoked under new plans to implement an existing but little-used federal law. The US State Department under President Donald Trump says it will use “common sense tools to support American families and strengthen compliance with US laws”. Under the plans, parents with outstanding child […]
AIIC posts record revenues and profits
The parent company of legal brands Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood has reported record profits of nearly £10 million; a 118% increase on the previous financial year. AIIC Group’s latest results report an annual revenue increase of 27%, up to £124 million from £97.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of £12.2 million, up from […]
Survey finds strong demand for cohabiting rights, as requests for legal agreements rise 50%
YouGov data commissioned by Forsters reveals strong demand for rights for cohabiting couples and confusion over current legal protections. The data supports the London firm’s own evidence of a 50% increase in cohabitation agreement requests, which it says reflects rising concerns over legal gaps. The YouGov poll of 2,108 UK adults found that almost two […]
Freelance journalist wins reporting restrictions challenge in family proceedings
A High Court judge has agreed to release redacted documents from family proceedings to a journalist from The Observer despite some of the material containing information which could only be considered in closed court for reasons of national security. The journalist may also publish the fact that one of appellants is a serving member of […]
Assisted dying bill stalls in House of Lords but supporters hopeful of imminent return
Efforts to introduce assisted dying in England and Wales have run out of time after the bill stalled in the House of Lords – with supporters accusing peers of holding up the legislation. Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Kim Leadbetter, who had launched the private members bill and championed its progress through Parliament […]
Taylor Rose fined £160,000 by SRA
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has fined Taylor Rose more than £160,000 for compliance failures including failing to return client money promptly. The SRA directed the firm to pay a financial penalty of £160,059 and ordered to pay costs of £1,350. The regulator said it had fined the firm for failing to have effective systems […]
King appoints new president of the Family Division
The Rt Hon Lord Justice Stephen Cobb has been appointed President of the Family Division by the King. His appointment, which follows the retirement of Sir Andrew McFarlane on 13 April 2026, was made on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor following the recommendation of an independent selection panel. Lord Justice […]
News has ‘blind spot’ to VAWG coverage, with just 1.3% of global stories on the issue
A new report which aims to shine a light on the global under-reporting of violence against women and girls claims news media has a “blind spot” when it comes to coverage of the issue and is calling for improved reporting. At a time when a series of high profile cases have hit news media, including […]
Law Society issues Mazur practice note
A new practice note aimed at providing guidance on how firms can ensure they are compliant with the recent Mazur decision has been published by the Law Society of England and Wales. The practice note includes advice on how firms can make sure that only those authorised to do so carry on the conduct of […]
Government study will explore how AI transcripts can improve family court experience
HM Courts & Tribunals Service will test using artificial intelligence to produce court transcripts in a move intended to improve access to justice for victims and families. The new study will see if the Ministry of Justice’s in-house AI, Justice Transcribe, could meet required accuracy standards while reducing transcription time and costs. The findings of […]
Victims and bereaved to get more time to challenge lenient sentences
Victims and bereaved families will have longer than ever to challenge sentences they don’t feel fit the crime they’ve suffered, in measures unveiled in the government’s reformed Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme. Victims and their bereaved families will have up to six months to ask for a sentence to be reconsidered, rather than being strictly limited […]
UK Family Law Report forecasts steady growth for sector, reaching £2.9bn by 2029
The UK Family Law Report 2026, the 12th edition of the annual research report from IRN Legal Reports, forecasts steady growth for the sector, with a forecast of 6% growth in 2026 and a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% between 2025 and 2029. The market value is expected to reach £2.9 billion over the […]