Firms in Bristol and Skipton strengthen family teams with senior appointments
Family law teams in Bristol and Skipton have been strengthened with the appointment of three experienced specialists. UK Top 50 law firm Birketts has welcomed Will MacFarlane and Sarah Dodds (main photo) to its Bristol office, with MacFarlane joining as partner and Dodds appointed as senior associate. MacFarlane brings 17 years of post-qualification experience, specialising […]
City of London sheriffs hold Old Bailey event to tackle care leaver criminalisation
Judges and representatives from children’s and young people’s services came together to discuss reducing the number of care leavers in the criminal justice system last week, at an event hosted by the City of London’s sheriffs. The session at the Old Bailey, led by sheriffs Keith Bottomley and Robert Hughes-Penney, explored how courts and agencies […]
Watkins Solicitors’ fourth annual domestic abuse conference promotes survivor-centred practice
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 by Watkins Solicitors, is a key multi-agency event addressing domestic abuse in the South West. This year’s programme brought together […]
LSB seeks feedback on encouraging diversity in legal sector
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has shared new proposals that aim to support equality and diversity in the legal profession and is inviting feedback from across the sector. The proposals would replace existing guidance published in 2017 and amended in 2020, setting out a new framework for regulators to drive consistent improvement across the sector. The consultation – open now until 2 March – […]
Budget may have ‘profound and immediate’ impact on separating couples
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 austerity’ and a promise ‘the wealthiest will contribute the most’ to filling the gap in the public finances. After weeks […]
Domestic abuse-related offences accounted for more than 15% of all crimes recorded by police in the last year
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 for National Statistics (ONS) data. Alarmingly, domestic abuse-related offences accounted for more than 15% of all crimes recorded by police […]
Harmful rhetoric and mistrust of legal profession undermine the rule of law, House of Lords report finds
The rule of law is under threat from a lack of access to justice, mistrust of the legal profession and politicians, and a lack of education and knowledge, according to a new report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution. The report – the result of a nine-month long inquiry including 14 […]
Plans to scrap jury trials for most crimes go too far, Law Society says
Just days after the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution warned of increasing distrust in the legal system that placed the rule of law under threat, Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy is set to propose the scrapping of jury trials for most crimes. Under the proposals, juries will only decide murder, […]
CILEX granted permission to appeal Mazur ruling
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has been granted permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the Mazur judgment. Although not party to the original proceedings, CILEX applied for permission earlier this month, relying on the Court of Appeal’s discretion to permit an appeal brought by a person adversely affected by the […]
Support LawTech and reassess reserved activities to boost legal sector, MoJ report finds
The legal sector of the future will be centred on tech-driven cross-border solutions built around individual needs, according to a new report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. The report also questions whether reserved activities ‘continue to make sense in an increasingly digital world’. The report, produced by specialist legal advisory firm Hook Tangaza, offers […]
CILEx shares update on practice rights amid ‘distress and uncertainty’
CILEx Regulation (CRL), the independent regulatory body of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, has shared an update on the litigation practice rights of chartered legal executives, saying it understands ‘the significant distress and uncertainty the judgment has caused’. Since the Mazur judgment was handed down by Justice Sheldon just over two months ago, CRL […]
Rebuke for Whitehaven firm that failed to return residual balances for almost 10 years
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 2020, after the firm’s accountants report for the accounting period ending June 2020 was qualified, with one of the qualifications […]
Law Society unveils artwork to honour 200 years of legal service
The Law Society of England and Wales has unveiled the artworks it commissioned to mark 200 years of supporting solicitors, created by celebrated British artist and Turner Prize winner Helen Cammock. ‘A People’s Practice’ is a suite of three art works installed at the Law Society’s Chancery Lane building in London. Each piece invites reflection […]
‘Act now to modernise wills’, Law Society tells government
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 Wills Law, setting out key recommendations to update legislation that has remained largely the same since the Wills Act 1837. The comprehensive […]
Number of marriages fall by 9% following decades long downward trend
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 1970’s in falling numbers, and a reduction since a post-pandemic surge in 2021 and 2022 after couples were forced to […]
Pathfinder progress welcome but profession caveats with investment and outcome concerns
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. It was announced last week the Pathfinder courts in Wales, Dorset and West Yorkshire would be followed by further rollout […]
CILEX asks for permission to appeal Mazur ruling
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 by authorised firms. In a statement issued yesterday, CILEX said it ‘has held serious concerns’ about the ruling from Mr Justice Sheldon since it […]
Domestic abuse cases should be in scope for legal aid funding – Bar Council
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 in England and Wales, has set out a package of recommendations to improve the ability of the family justice system […]
Care leavers to given more support to avoid being criminalised
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 people who have been in care are four times more likely to receive a criminal conviction and ten times more […]
New senior partner for PE-backed practice; Senior hires in regional and boutique firms
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 Brachers, Farleys, Nelsons, Slater Heelis and most recently Trethowans. Knappett currently leads FJG’s Tier 1 ranked Family Law practice having […]