Court of Appeal sets aside adoption after ‘serious irregularities’ found during evaluation
The Court of Appeal has removed a child from his adoptive parents because they hid facts including that the mother was in a new relationship with a violent criminal accused of child sex offending. In M (A Child: Adoption: Duty of Disclosure) the court heard that, even before an adoption order was made last year, […]
Court of Appeal ruling ‘delivers judicial clarity in international matrimonial proceedings’
A landmark Court of Appeal ruling has delivered judicial clarity on domicile of choice, domicile of origin and forum disputes in international matrimonial proceedings. The judgment in Ferrara v Ferrara, in which UK law firm Mills & Reeve represented Mrs Ferrara, is expected to become an important authority for family law practitioners dealing with cross-border […]
VAWG efforts take a hit with high profile ministerial resignations
The government’s efforts to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) could be affected by the resignations of two of its most vocal advocates in protest at Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party. Junior justice minister Alex Davies-Jones (pictured) and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips have both resigned, as calls for the prime minister […]
SRA seeks 29% funding increase ‘to move from reactive to proactive regulation’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed a £50 increase in individual practising fees, taking the annual fee to £240. Compensation fund contributions are expected to be set at £120 for an individual solicitor and £3,600 for an SRA-regulated firm. Individual combined fees, which cover the practising certificate fee and compensation fund contribution, would rise […]
Child born to foreign surrogate can be beneficiary of family trust, court rules
The High Court has ruled that a child born to a foreign surrogate mother can be added as a beneficiary of family trusts, in a case that has highlighted the challenges modern parenthood poses to old trust structures. Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath, and his wife, Marchioness Emma Thynn, wanted the court’s “blessing” […]
Court orders the return of abducted children to Zimbabwe in complex Hague Convention case
The High Court has ordered the summary return of two girls to their home in Zimbabwe, following their removal to England by their mother in April 2025. National law firm Mills & Reeve represented the father in the case of RS and TU [2025] EWHC 3352 (Fam), securing the return of his daughters, aged 10 […]
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 […]
Mr Justice Peel delivers Standard Orders update
A Standard Orders update has been delivered by Mr Justice Peel this week, actioning the work of the Standard Orders Group which continues to monitor legal and procedural development in family law and ensure the documentation remains up to date. Following the last update in May 2024, the latest Standard Orders to be updated relate […]
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 […]
‘Mental Health Act must work for all’ – Law Society
As Mental Health Awareness Week gets underway, the Law Society of England and Wales is urging the UK government to formally consult with experts and those with lived experience to develop a code of practice for the Mental Health Act 2025. The new act, which became law in December 2025 and will be rolled out over […]
SRA shelves CILEX transfer after four year delay
Controversial plans to transfer the regulation of Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been shelved. The SRA, in a draft 2026-27 business plan published last week, confirmed that “some activity [it] had anticipated progressing next year will need to be paused” as it seeks to “prioritise work […]
New Justice of the Supreme Court and seven Civil Justice Council members announced
The King has approved the appointment of Lord Justice Snowden as a Justice of the Supreme Court, while the Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of seven new members of the Civil Justice Council (CJC). The King made the appointment of Lord Justice Snowden on the advice of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following […]
Lawyers urged to take practical action to support mental health and wellbeing ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week
LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, is encouraging legal professionals to take simple practical actions to support their own and others’ wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from the 11th to the 17th of May. Last year, LawCare’s research found that many people in the legal sector were struggling with […]
LSB calls for ‘urgent and immediate’ action from SRA, as it orders external audit of regulator’s compliance
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has summoned the Solicitors Regulation Authority to an in-person meeting before the end of May to seek assurance that it has the necessary expertise and oversight approach to deliver the urgent reform needed to address the challenges and complexities in the legal sector. The regulator has also been ordered to […]
Law Society criticises LAA for lack of compensation after cyber attack
The Law Society of England and Wales has criticised the Legal Aid Agency for the lack of compensation for firms affected by last year’s cyber attack, despite the “devastating” impact it had on many legal aid practices at the time. One year on from the attack, which left the LAA’s online systems unusable, president of […]
Surrogacy law could be debated in Parliament after petition by dads hits 110,000 signatures
A petition calling for intended parents in surrogacy arrangements to be recognised as their child’s legal parents from birth has been signed by more than 110,000 people – meaning it will be considered for a debate in Parliament. Adam Frisby created the petition almost two years after he and his husband, Jamie Corbett, welcomed their […]
FCA to probe claims management companies over ‘poor practices’
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is launching a review of the claims management market amid concerns that consumers are being failed by some claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms. The review is intended to “look at the root causes of poor practices”, such as aggressive marketing, misleading advertising and unfair exit fees. Other concerns […]
New legal arbitration group aims to improve access to family dispute resolution
A network of experienced family law solicitors and barristers across England and Wales has been formed to improve public access to family law arbitration and aid effective private dispute resolution. The Family Law Arbitrators Group (FLAG) is an affiliation of family law arbitrators throughout England and Wales. The new initiative aims to improve public access […]
‘Embrace AI to stay relevant to TikTok generation’ Sir Geoffrey Vos tells lawyers
Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls, has urged lawyers to embrace technological change and the use of AI to ensure younger generations engage with the justice system. Sir Geoffrey Vos, head of civil justice in England and Wales, said in a speech at The Judicial Institute for Scotland, Parliament Square, Edinburgh, last Thursday, […]