Actionstep expands UK team and signals ‘deep connection’ to legal sector
Legal software provider Actionstep has expanded its UK team from five to 20 people, with new hires in senior leadership and engineering to support the company’s record growth. Since the company with more than 50,000 global users launched in the UK, its practice management platform has been adopted by over 50 law firms including Dutton […]
Maguire Family Law bolsters Altrincham office with key senior appointment
Maguire Family Law, a firm specialising in high-net-worth and international family law cases, has appointed a new senior associate to join its growing Altrincham team. Maguire Family Law continues to expand its regional presence, with Gabrielle Dugan’s appointment further solidifying its reputation for providing top-tier family law services. Gabrielle, who joins from Slater and Gordon, […]
Legal consultants launch three-day Ibiza ‘immersive getaway’ for lawyers
Two legal consultants are staging a three-day May retreat for law firm leaders in Ibiza’s Cala Carbo, which they promise will be a ‘unique and immersive getaway’. The Lawyers Retreat is being staged by Kirsty Pappin, founder and director of Aries Legal Practice Management, and Kate Burt, founder and CEO of risk management consultancy HiveRisk, […]
Supreme Court set for £77m showdown in landmark divorce case
A high-stakes divorce case due to be heard in the UK Supreme Court on 30th April 2025 could reshape how pre-marital wealth and transfers between spouses are treated on divorce, according to insights at law firm Irwin Mitchell. The anticipated hearing in Standish vs. Standish will examine whether a £77m transfer from husband to wife […]
Scam warning as firm targeted with fake reviews
Scammers have targeted a conveyancing firm and posted fake one-star reviews after the founder refused to provide sensitive and personal information. Rose Davis, founder and Director at Davis & Co Property Lawyers, has warned firms of the scam which sees scammers post fake one-star reviews, and leave scathing comments, after she refused to share her […]
‘Romeo and Juliet’ clause added to child abuse reporting bill to avoid ‘unintended consequences’
A new “Romeo and Juliet” clause has been introduced into the Crime and Policing Bill, which sets out a legal requirement for professionals such as teachers and GPs to report concerns about child sexual abuse – or face potential criminal charges. The move follows one of the 20 recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child […]
Police vetting reforms to boost officer standards
Police chiefs will automatically sack officers who fail background checks, allowing them to root out those who are unfit to serve and clean up their forces. As part of major government reforms to improve confidence in policing, the new measures laid in Parliament today mean that passing background checks will become a legal requirement for […]
Starmer faces backlash over U-turn on trans rights following Supreme Court ruling
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing internal dissent and public criticism after clarifying that he no longer believes trans women are women – a reversal from his 2022 position, as reported by The Times. Downing Street confirmed the shift following last week’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that reinforced protections for single-sex spaces based on […]
High Court overturns overnight contact order in domestic abuse case
A High Court judge has overturned a family court’s decision allowing a father overnight contact with his child, ruling the original order was a mistake given the serious domestic abuse findings made against him, as reported by The Law Society Gazette. In the case of V v V & Anor, the child’s mother successfully appealed […]
Wirral families still waiting for SEND support improvements, inspectors warn
Parents, carers, and professionals supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Wirral are being left “frustrated and helpless,” according to a recent inspection. A joint report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that both Wirral Council and the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board are continuing to […]
Policy priorities set out in LSB business plan 2025/26
In its business plan for 2025/26, published, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has outlined its priorities, aimed at improving outcomes for consumers and the public. These priorities include work to improve ethical standards within the profession, as well as work to protect the public from risks emerging from market developments. Alongside its policy work, the […]
Maguire Family Law appoints Senior Associate to Altrincham team
Maguire Family Law, a firm specialising in high-net-worth and international family law cases, has appointed a new senior associate to join its growing Altrincham team. Maguire Family Law continues to expand its regional presence, with Gabrielle Dugan’s appointment further solidifying its reputation for providing top-tier family law services. Gabrielle, who joins from Slater and Gordon, […]
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 […]
New campaign calls for legal reform to recognise pets as family, not property
A new petition is calling on the Government to reform outdated laws that treat pets as property in Court cases. Launched by Cooper & Co Solicitors of Canterbury, a firm which has been acting for pet owners since the 1990’s, the campaign aims to reshape how Courts handle pet-related cases including tug of love cases […]
Law Society seeks 1.9% increase in practising certificate fee share
The Law Society is proposing a 1.9% rise in its share of the annual practising certificate (PC) fee for the 2025–26 year. Chancery Lane has put forward a proposed PC fee contribution of £37.5 million, up from £36.8 million in 2024–25 and has asked members to contribute to its annual consultation on what the body’s priorities […]
Campaign launched to prosecute officials who failed to act on grooming gangs
Politicians, senior police officers, and social workers could face prosecution over their failure to tackle grooming gangs, under new plans by a police whistle blower and survivors of child sexual abuse, as reported by The Telegraph. Maggie Oliver, the former Greater Manchester Police detective who exposed the Rochdale grooming scandal, is joining forces with victims […]
Family Rights Group Releases film to help parents with learning disabilities navigate social work support
Family Rights Group, the national specialist child welfare charity, is launching ‘A film for parents with learning difficulties and disabilities: working with a child and family social worker.’ Created with and for parents with learning difficulties and disabilities, the film has been developed to help parents understand what to expect when a child and family […]
FLiP and FLANC help neurodivergent individuals and families access out of court dispute resolution
Family Law in Partnership (FLiP) has joined forces with FLANC to help neurodivergent individuals who need family law advice. The teams at FLiP and FLANC have combined their expertise to develop best practice and a practical toolkit to help legal practitioners support neurodivergent individuals through Non-Court Dispute Resolution processes (NCDR). It is estimated that around […]
Stress ‘notably higher’ in legal services compared with other professions
With National Stress Awareness Month starting today (1st April) a new report has identified the legal sector reporting ‘notably higher stress levels compared to other professional services,’ calling on employers to do more to help balance the responsibilities of family life alongside demanding careers. The recently published Modern Families Index (MFI) 2025: Legal Sector Report […]