Neurodiversity, hidden vulnerability and ground rules: Lessons from Re JX (A Child)
Does the family court system accommodate neurodivergent parents fairly? Ciara Coleman and Cleo Perry KC, barristers for the applicant in JX (A Child), examine how neurodivergence intersects with child arrangements, parental responsibility and welfare decisions, and offer a practical checklist for legal practitioners to ensure inclusivity. The family court has only relatively recently developed […]
Profile: Kirsty Leedam, partner in family and relationships team, HM3 Legal
Kirsty Leedam has been family partner in the Liverpool office of HM3 Legal since early 2025. She has a particular interest in all areas of family, but particularly those with expatriate family dynamics, complex children issues and relationships that go beyond the usual nuclear family unit. What was your career path to your current role? […]
Compliance trends for mid-sized law firms
In the second of a three-part series, Rick Jakubowski, product marketing manager at legal tech company Legl, shares compliance insights for medium-sized firms (26-100 employees). In next week’s final instalment, Rick has advice for large firms, with more than 100 employees. Medium firms (26-100 employees) sit at the centre of the legal market’s compliance […]
The family court and open justice: evolution, reform, and wider implications for the HESC Chamber
Judge Mark Sutherland Williams, president of the Health, Education and Social Care (HESC) Chamber, explores the evolution of open justice in the family courts and its parallels with society’s growing desire for accountability. The principle of open justice – that justice must not only be done but be seen to be done – stands […]
Knowledge gaps in parental child abduction cases – legal comment from Michael Gration KC
What happens when 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention proceedings have concluded? Michael Gration KC describes a significant gap in the knowledge of judges, practitioners and policy makers – and shares a research project that is underway to fill that gap. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (25 October 1980) (“the […]
Profile: Jon Whettingsteel, partner and head of family at Dutton Gregory
Since joining Dutton Gregory in 2018, Jon Whettingsteel has progressed from solicitor to partner and head of the family department, a role that allows him to combine his legal expertise with his passion for supporting people during life’s most challenging moments. He is passionate about campaigning for change, particularly around grandparents’ rights, and hopes to […]
Navigating compliance in small law firms
In the first of a three-part series, Rick Jakubowski, product marketing manager at legal tech company Legl, explains how firms with up to 25 employees can stay compliant – even with limited resources. Next week, Rick takes a look at compliance trends for medium-sized firms (26-100 employees). Small firms (1-25 employees) face the same […]
How to negotiate with a donkey: Tips from a family lawyer
When Harrogate Family Law partner Stephanie Douthwaite met two donkeys on a family day out, she gained an unexpected lesson in negotiation. Anyone who has ever tried to move a donkey that doesn’t want to be moved knows for sure that brute force is useless. Strangely enough, this makes the donkey an excellent teacher […]
Gender-based pension inequality calls for a joined-up strategy
Research by Now Pensions and the Pension Policy Institute (PPI) has found that divorced women typically have around £400,000 less in pension savings than divorced men, holding just 29% of men’s pension wealth. Although pensions are the second-largest asset in a marriage after property, only 11% of the more than 100,000 divorces in 2024 and […]
VAWG strategy sets ambition, but lacks critical investment
Gemma Sherrington, CEO of domestic abuse charity Refuge, responds to the publication of the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy. Refuge has long highlighted that for the VAWG Strategy to be truly effective, every government department must play an active, coordinated role. We strongly welcome the cross-government approach to addressing VAWG, which […]
Your most read stories of 2025
Today’s Family Lawyer is written for and about the sector, and we want to share the news and stories that are important to you. Take a look at our updated submission guidelines to find out how to get involved, or simply email your news, ideas and suggestions to press@todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk. Need some inspiration? As we head […]
Why it’s time to rethink the paternity leave model in the UK
Despite promoting paternity leave as a key right, statutory pay is so low, the leave is unaffordable for 95% of new fathers. Steven Eckett, head of employment for England at Gilson Gray in London, explains why the system is failing modern families and sets out why meaningful reform is overdue. The UK has made […]
How economic abuse is evidenced and handled in the family courts
Research by the charity Surviving Economic Abuse suggests up to 3.9 million children in the UK are affected by a parent or carer exerting financial control over the family. Marilyn Bell, partner and joint head of family law at SA Law, explains how it’s evidenced and handled in the family courts and the impact on […]
Informal digital communications and the disposition of beneficial interests: Lessons from Lin v Gudmundsson
A High Court test case will decide whether WhatsApp messages are legally binding, after a husband sent a message to his wife telling her he would sign over his share of the family home as part of their divorce settlement. Hsiao Mei-Lin claims the WhatsApp from her ex-husband, Icelandic financier Audun Mar Gudmundsson, is legally […]
What 2026 could mean for the family justice system
As the dust settles on 2025’s landmark cases, coupled with parenting reforms, attention is shifting to what comes next for families navigating separation. From financial reform and the rise of nuptial agreements to growing concerns over access to justice, Emma Collins, partner and family lawyer at Weightmans, reveals that 2026 is shaping up to be […]
Staying sane in family law; a year of Today’s Family Lawyer Podcasts
The Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast was launched in 2022 with the aim of introducing listeners to the organisations and individuals who contribute to the success of the family law sector. Over the previous four series, and 64 episodes the podcast has covered topics from cohabitation, pensions, no fault divorce, and the rise of private FDRs […]
In E (A Child), the Appeal Court clarified the scope of judicial criticism – but the case has a much wider impact
The Court of Appeal has clarified the scope of judicial criticism against any individual witness, whether a lay person or a professional, within family court proceedings. But the case at the centre of the decision has a much wider impact, says June Venters KC. The 3PB barrister, who represented the father in the case, explains […]
Independent inquiry into grooming gangs: Chair and panellists open letter to victims and survivors
To all victims and survivors of grooming gangs, As the newly appointed Chair and Panellists of the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, we are writing to you as our first formal act of this vitally important work. We do so with humility, determination, and a deep sense of responsibility. We are acutely aware that many […]
Transparency and privacy in the family courts – a political balancing act?
Times Media Ltd v Rayner, in which The Times applied for access to a consent order relating to Angela Rayner’s 2023 divorce, reveals the complex rules around confidentiality in the family courts, particularly as the judiciary pushes for more transparency and more media access to documentation. Andrew Fremlin-Key, partner in the Withers Media and Reputation […]
Christmas is a testing time of year…
Christmas can be a tough time of year to stay sober; especially for those who struggle with addiction issues. In this latest Today’s Family Lawyer podcast two experts provide their views on how specialist services can support family law professionals, and by extension their clients, in their efforts to stay sober over the festive period. […]