Cost of living impact could be “worse than pandemic”
A survey has discovered that a fifth of businesses expect the cost of living crisis’ impact to hit harder than the pandemic. The research, conducted by BDO, assessed 500 leaders of medium-sized businesses. It looked into the biggest threats to business over the forthcoming six months. The results painted a picture where rising energy costs […]
Law Society: mediation not only fix for backlog
News of an additional £5.4 million investment in a mediation voucher scheme to help families resolve legal issues outside court was given a cautious welcome by the Law Society of England and Wales today, as it warned more is needed to address the family courts backlog. The latest family court statistics show there are an […]
The surrogacy debate: is the law fit for purpose?
The UK’s surrogacy legal framework does not protect the reproductive autonomy of the parties involved. Reform to ensure parental orders are in place before birth would adequately respect the choices of surrogates and commissioning couples instead of the legislature overlooking the presence of such arrangements and forcing people to go abroad where there are less […]
Why you should think about becoming a judge
Courts and tribunals judiciary webinar: why you should think about becoming a judge This webinar is free and open to all. It is aimed at legal practitioners (in-house lawyers, solicitors and barristers) and academics. Especially if: You’ve wondered about trying to become a (full- or part-time) judge It has never crossed your mind You’re thinking “judges […]
The conversation around menopause in relationships
Nicola Green is a menopause consultant who, after over 20 years working in law, launched Nicola Green Consultancy in 2019 and now helps law firms and organisations address and support menopause in the workplace. Here, Nicola goes through the impact menopause has on relationships and legal proceedings. I understand from my own premature menopause experience […]
“70 years – that’s a lot of pro bono…”
As the United Kingdom celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, two onlooking lawyers can’t quite believe the length of Her Majesty’s pro bono stint. All her work is pro bono, right? Not quite: the Crown took home a sovereign grant of £85.9m in 2021. However, this is said to come from revenue generated by the […]
The Queen on judges and the rule of law
As part of its broadcasts to mark the 70 years of the monarch’s reign, the BBC’s Today programme on Radio 4 played a recording of Queen Elizabeth in 1968 speaking on the importance of the judiciary at the opening of the Queen’s Building extension to the Royal Courts of Justice. Her Majesty said: “The judiciary is one […]
The shortcomings of the Domestic Abuse Prevention Programme
How the Domestic Abuse Prevention Programme fails to not only protect victims of domestic abuse, but also fails to address the welfare of the children At the recent Resolution National Conference 2022 in Birmingham last week, Sir Andrew McFarlane set out his views on fact-finding hearings in children cases involving allegations of domestic abuse and […]
Legal advisers stationed at GP surgeries will improve access to justice
Deploy legal advisers in GP surgeries to ensure access to justice for the vulnerable, think tank recommends Advisers stationed at GP surgeries, council offices, libraries, and other convenient locations can help more people get more “timely” access to civil justice, according to a recently published think tank report. The Social Market Foundation said that legal […]
The law’s view of sexual relations in marriage: from central to peripheral?
Sex, marriage, and rock and roll: why sexual relations are becoming less central to the legal and social definitions of marriage and family relationships Whilst civil partnerships (CPs) and marriage are available to all, the social paradigms attached to these labels still divide society. Marriage is imbued with tradition and religious ideologies, and consequently, only […]
92% of lawyers have faced stress or burnout, study finds
Survey finds 92% of lawyers have experienced stress or burnout because of their job, with more than a 25% experiencing it daily Legatics, developers of the leading legal transaction management platform, today announced the findings of a new survey conducted in collaboration with YouGov that reveals the impact stress, burnout and over work are having […]
How to help your Ukrainian counterparts
The ruthless war in Ukraine has left a nation utterly devastated, and the country’s legal sector is no exception. Despite this, information on what the UK legal sector can do to help its counterparts in Ukraine is sparse. Today’s Family Lawyer has set out to shed some light on what can be done to help […]
Paws for thought and include claws: why pet-nups should be considered
With 62% of the UK population reportedly owning a pet, it is no wonder more and more couples are being advised to take out “pet-nup” agreements to prevent custody battles over their beloved dogs and cats if they split up. With around 30,000 divorce cases involving animals each year, according to a report from Direct […]
The power of pro bono: lawyers stepping forward when it matters
UK lawyers’ pro bono legal support for people affected by crises such as those in Afghanistan and Ukraine has been praised by Pro Bono Week’s organisers. The importance of effective coordination of such a crisis response is one of six key focus areas for this year’s event, which is from 7th-11th November 2022. “The profession […]
New guide tackles lack of empathy in law firms
A free guide has been launched to help lawyers improve their reputation for client care, build more valuable relationships with clients, reduce client churn and maximise profits. The guide, developed by Moneypenny, includes include practical tips to improve empathy in legal practice and ensure employees’ use of language hits the mark. It also addresses the […]
Barclay case: no money left?
And so, the case of the Sir and Lady Barclay goes on. In cases involving high net worth assets it can be said that these are easier cases to settle. However, given the sums involved there can be a cost/benefit in arguing legal principles if the trade-off is saving or receiving tens of millions of […]
LawCare extends online chat service
Legal mental health charity LawCare has extended its online chat service for legal professionals from one to four days a week from Tuesday 10th May. The charity, which offers free, confidential, emotional support to anyone working in the law, has been operating a helpline and peer support programme since 1997 and has supported over 10,000 […]
Mental Health Awareness week: you are not alone
If you’ve ever struggled, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever despaired wondering how you can possibly carry on, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever felt crushed under an enormous workload or client demands, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever felt lonely or unsupported, you’re not alone. Mental health matters. Mental health impairment is a real […]
You’re a fake! Can the rise of the e-signature and no-fault divorce prevent fraudulent divorces?
It goes without saying that in the 21st Century fraud permeates just about every area of our lives, and the world of divorce is no exception; the latest controversy surrounding the evidence of ex-Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner highlighting this, when he admitted to faking papers to obtain two divorces in 2000 and 2014 respectively. […]
Caselaw review: post-separation assets
While the categories of matrimonial and non-matrimonial assets are now largely well-defined in the caselaw, there remains some ambiguity – and therefore scope for negotiation – as to the character of assets accrued by a party after the breakdown of the marriage but before financial remedy proceedings have concluded. Although the parties’ assets must be […]