Supreme Court rules ‘woman’ in Equality Act refers to biological sex in landmark judgment
In a landmark ruling, the UK Supreme Court has ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act refer strictly to biological sex. The judgment, delivered by Lord Hodge, represents a legal development with broad implications for how sex and gender are interpreted in UK law. It follows a long-running legal challenge […]
High Court Judgment in Safety Valve Legal Challenge
The High Court handed down its judgment in the case of The King v Bristol City Council and Devon County Council, dismissing a legal challenge brought by families against the Safety Valve Agreement between Bristol City Council and Devon County Council. The case centred on the concern that measures introduced under the Safety Valve Agreement—aimed […]
UK government confirms no plans to ban international surrogacy travel
In response to growing concerns around paid surrogacy arrangements in economically disadvantaged countries, the UK Government has clarified its position, confirming that it does not intend to ban individuals from travelling abroad to pursue surrogacy. The question was raised in the House of Lords by Baroness Manzoor, a Conservative peer, who asked whether the Government […]
Government to launch consultation on legal protections for cohabiting couples amid concerns over economic abuse
In response to growing concerns over the lack of legal protections for unmarried couples, the Government has confirmed it will launch a public consultation on cohabitation reform later this year. The announcement comes after Manuela Perteghella, Liberal Democrat MP for Stratford-on-Avon, posed two written questions to the Secretary of State for Justice. Perteghella pressed the […]
UK’s first baby born after womb transplant
A baby girl described as a “miracle” has become the first child in the UK to be born to a mother with a donated womb. Grace Davidson, 36, was born without a functioning uterus due to a rare condition, but in 2023 she underwent a successful womb transplant – the only one of its kind […]
Divorcing couples increasingly opt for one lawyer
More separating couples are turning to a one-lawyer approach to navigate towards an efficient and amicable outcome following the ending of their relationship, according to the family law team at HCR Law. The team has reported an 88% increase in the number of divorcing/separating clients opting for its one-lawyer service in 2024 compared to 2023, […]
1,280 children subject to DoL applications in 2024 – MoJ
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published information about the number of children subject to applications to deprive them of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction of the high court (DoL applications) in the Family Court Statistics Quarterly release. It shows that 1,280 children were subject to applications to deprive them of their liberty in […]
LSB emphasises ongoing oversight and engagement to drive regulatory improvements
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the performance of legal regulators. Speaking at a recent meeting, LSB Chief Executive Craig Westwood outlined the Board’s approach leading up to the next regulatory performance assessment. Westwood emphasised that, beyond formal assessments, the LSB is actively working with regulators to drive improvements. This […]
MoJ releases update on Pathfinder programme for private law reform
The Ministry of Justice has released an update on the implementation of the Government’s Pathfinder programme for private law reform, including stakeholder support, a commitment to continuous improvement, and a focus on scaling successful initiatives. Recent figures revealed that the Pathfinder scheme is resolving cases faster, with family court backlogs reduced by half in pilot […]
Children deprived of their liberty require better access to legal aid – The Law Society
The Law Society of England and Wales welcomes the reduction in family court backlogs and delays, but further investment in civil legal aid is needed to support children at risk of being deprived of their liberty. Civil legal aid is an essential public service that protects and strengthens our community, reducing the strain on other […]
Guardiola to divorce using “one couple, one lawyer”
Manchester City Football Club manager Pep Guardiola and his wife Cristina Serra are reported to be to be using the ‘one lawyer, one couple’ divorce process following their recent announcement they will be separating. The couple, who have been together for more than 30 years, and married 10, are beginning divorce proceedings with the couple […]
Oligarch’s ex-wife faces £2m legal bill in high court battle against divorce lawyer
Tatiana Soroka, the former wife of Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov, is facing a £2 million legal bill as she pursues a negligence claim against Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia and her law firm, Payne Hicks Beach, as reported by The Times. Soroka, 52, has accused Shackleton – one of Britain’s most well-known divorce lawyers – of […]
SRA says no final decision on scrapping client accounts has been made
A senior executive at the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has reassured solicitors that no firm decision has been made regarding the potential removal of client accounts, as reported by The Law Society Gazette. The recent SRA consultation, which closed at the end of February, raised the spectre of the end of client accounts and solicitors […]
Billionaire Michael Fuchs loses legal battle over divorce settlement
Michael Fuchs, the billionaire property tycoon who once held a stake in Manhattan’s iconic Chrysler Building, has suffered a significant legal setback in his prolonged divorce dispute, as reported by The Times. The latest ruling from the High Court found that Fuchs attempted to avoid paying his former wife, Alvina Collardeau-Fuchs, by setting up a […]
Ofcom launches investigation into social media firms over child abuse failures
Social media companies, including Elon Musk’s X, are set to be investigated by Ofcom for their failure to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material online, as reported by The Telegraph. The UK regulator will announce on Monday that it is prioritising enforcement action against online child sexual abuse, examining how social media platforms […]
Cohabitation law reform moves forward as government plans consultation
The long-anticipated reform of cohabitation law could arrive sooner than expected, as the government has confirmed plans to launch a consultation on the issue this year. Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged to strengthen legal rights and protections for women in cohabiting relationships. Responding to questions from the House of Commons justice select committee, Lord Ponsonby of […]
Swifter justice for victims as courts sit at record level
The Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has confirmed that Crown Court judges will sit for a collective 110,000 days in the next financial year – 4,000 more than was initially allocated the previous year. The increase will mean more hearings at the Crown Court in the coming year, helping victims see justice faster than they otherwise […]
Government pledges to protect more women from violence
This International Women’s Day, as statistics show that a woman is killed on average every 3 days in the UK, the government has reiterated its commitment to halving violence against women and girls in a decade. For the past 10 years, Jess Phillips has read the names of women suspected of being killed by men […]
96% of leaders are confident in their firm’s ability to comply with evolving AML regulations – report
96% of leaders are confident in their firm’s ability to comply with evolving anti-money laundering (AML) regulations but acknowledge staying up to date, ensuring staff are trained, and property completing client due diligence remain key compliance pain points. Despite a raft of firms being fines in recent weeks the inaugural UK Midsize Law Firm Priorities […]
‘Momentous’ amends to Employment Rights Bill sees recognition for expectant parents who suffer miscarriage
A prominent family lawyer has won her fight to recognise the rights of expectant parents who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy following the inclusion of bereavement leave in an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill. Keeley Lengthorn, partner at RWK Goodman, began her efforts to see expectant parents who suffer miscarriage before […]
