Feel Good Friday: Exchange Chambers
There have been lots of positive things happening across the sector this week, so we wanted to share these good vibes with you as part of our ‘Feel Good Friday’ news items. Here is a little snap shot of what’s been going on. 14-strong family law team moves to barrister’s Chambers Exchange Chambers has continued […]
Breaking news: Chancellor extends furlough scheme
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the furlough scheme until March 2021. This news comes on the back of England beginning it’s four week lockdown today (Thursday 5 November). The BBC website said: “The move follows several days of wrangling over the scope and duration of the furlough scheme. It was due to end on 31 […]
The state of the workplace in 2020 and sentiment of the legal sector
It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year like no other. We began the year with Brexit as the big event on the horizon that was going to have unknown impacts not only within the legal sector but more generally. Little did we know that the ‘Big B’ would be taking a big […]
Family Law Awards 2020 is open for bookings
The LexisNexis 2020 Family Law Awards is now open for bookings to celebrate all the hard work and successes of family law practitioners. Everyone is invited to the innovative awards ceremony on 25th November at 3.30pm for drinks, networking and celebrating the success of the very best of the family law community. It will be […]
Guidance on how to use online divorce services
The government has issued guidance on how to use online divorce services on MyHMCTS. These guides described the steps you need to use online services for divorce on MyHMCTS: Submitting a case Requesting a personal service Completing an acknowledgement of service Applying for a decree nisi and decree absolute Decree nisi clarification and amend petition […]
Courts and tribunals remain open during second lockdown
Courts and tribunals will remain open and continue to run throughout the planned four week national lockdown, HMCTS has confirmed. Officials will continue to follow and implement public health advice to reduce risk, and keep court and tribunal users updated on what this means for them through ongoing publication of their weekly operational update. The […]
Remote hearings have parents appearing alone
Research has revealed that many parents are appearing remotely in family courts, alone and sometimes without the technology required to enable them to take part in proceedings. This is problematic as the proceedings often result in life-changing decisions being made. The research was conducted by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, in response to a consultation […]
What does leaving the EU mean for businesses?
As the coronavirus pandemic takes centre stage, the Brexit transition is still rumbling on behind the scenes. But with the deadline nearing, it is worth taking into account what the changes can mean to businesses and firms. The GOV.uk website has lots of helpful information that can help you to prepare for the transition and […]
North West lockdown court delays negatively affecting child welfare
North West law firm, SAS Daniels LLP, warn that court delays could be affecting child welfare in the North West, and are calling for changes to be made to court proceedings to reduce the negative impact on families across the region. Following the announcement of lockdown measures due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the work of […]
A remote working overhaul could save a firm tens-of-thousands of pounds
The debate continues whether remote working will become more prevalent when the UK is released from the effects of the pandemic. But one thing that is seeming almost set in stone is the regularly moving restrictions are going to remain into 2021 with mass vaccination not likely until the Spring or Summer. In a recent […]
LSB approves significant changes to how solicitors qualify
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) application to make significant changes to how people qualify as solicitors in England and Wales. The changes include the introduction of a new centralised assessment, the Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE), and a requirement for a minimum of two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE). […]
Have your say on how Cafcass should be inspected
Ofsted are seeking the views from those in the sector on proposals for “a more effective and proportionate approach to inspecting Cafcass”. If the proposals set out by Ofsted are implemented, it would mean Cafcass inspections would be aligned with the inspections Ofsted carry out with regards to children’s social care. The proposed new framework […]
Second lockdown announced in England
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today, 31 October addressed the nation and revealed that England would enter tighter lockdown restrictions as the coronavirus second wave continues to grow. England is following in the footsteps of both Wales and Northern Ireland, who have adopted ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. Speaking frankly tonight, […]
What financial support is available to the Family Law sector?
It’s safe to say 2020 has been a year like no other, and no amount of new year’s resolutions could have prepared us for what was to come. It’s safe to say that the legal sector has come up with its own challenges. The conveyancing and private client sectors have been inundated with enquiries and […]
Mixed teams help family lawyers embrace non-court alternatives
During Resolutions ‘Future of Family Practice‘ online conference, it was brought to light that those in family law are embracing mixed teams to ensure they can provide a wide range of services to clients, which don’t involve the court process. The conference heard from the Family Dispute Solutions and the Hampshire Family Legal Solutions pods, […]
Extension to Pracitising Certificate renewals
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has revealed that they have extended the renewal window for the Practising Certifiate until 20 November 2020. A statement on the SRA website revealed: “We have decided to extend the practising certificate renewal window until 20 November. “This year we are running renewals on a new IT system and with […]
What should an IT department do in relation to cyber security?
UK law firms are now starting to realise that responsibility for cyber security doesn’t just lie within the IT team, and that technical controls alone can’t protect a business from today’s attacks. I often see the phrase ‘cyber security is a people issue not an IT issue’. It’s true that this needs to be a […]
Book now for Resolution virtual Summit
Bookings are now being taken for Resolution’s virtual Family Law Live Summit which is taking place on 23 November 2020. Highlights include: the latest family law updates across six core areas: Legal Aid, Tax & Pensions, International Law & Brexit, Children, Family Courts and Safeguarding; previews of our new Family Law Handbook, launching at the […]
The hybrid work environment
Other articles in this series have concentrated on some of the meeting solutions that are available and on the best way to run online meetings. This article will consider the differences between in-person and online meetings. For most of our existence mankind has traditionally held only face-to-face meetings (yes, even cavemen had committee meetings and […]
How can you prepare for succession?
Planning for succession can be a problematic time for partners who have reached the time in their careers where they want to retire and take a more relaxed approach to life. Succession is often a tricky area to navigate for a firm. Throw a worldwide pandemic into the mix, and a tricky job became much […]