National Conference Workshop Programme 2024

Friday afternoon workshops
Til’ fault do us part: Negligence Claims: Trends, Practical Tips and Discussion (Workshop A)

With Claudia Gilham and Kelly Barnett

Negligence claims can be a fact of working life, but we can work together to share knowledge on how to mitigate and avoid them where we can. There are firms advertising for clients to contact them if they are unhappy with their divorce outcome, and it pays to know where the risk areas are, and what to do when a claim comes in.

This will be a practical group session to discuss:

  • Key cases / claims trends
  • Best practice top tips and protecting your claims record
  • Where complaints become claims
  • What to do when a claim comes in
  • Pension claims focus
An afternoon of debate co-hosted by 1King’s Bench Walk  and 29 Bedford Row (Workshop B)

Speakers TBA

Economic abuse and other forms of coercive control in financial remedy proceedings (Workshop C)

With Charles Hale KC, Anita Mehta and Olivia Piercy

This workshop will ensure that delegates are to speed with how the law stands in respect of conduct in financial remedy proceedings, case management and how best to approach such a case.

Thereafter it will consider the results of the Resolution survey in respect of coercive control in all forms of financial remedy proceedings.  Whether you are an expert, or new to this area, the attendees will have an opportunity to participate (if they wish) in a discussion about what could or should be done differently.

Fairness and Cohabitation – the Hathway House (Workshop D)

With Alexander Learmonth KC, James Saunders, Zoë Saunders  and Emily Roskilly

In this workshop we will discuss the twists and turns of this interesting Court of Appeal ToLATA case.

We will also explore where we are now in the world of cohabitation and the law which applies to common intention constructive trusts.

We will briefly consider the law of cohabitation across jurisdictions and the current campaign for reform.  We will close with discussing some practical top tips for advising unmarried couples and dealing with ToLATA disputes.

How can we best support parents in conflict? (Workshop E)

Adele Ballantyne, Hannah Nicholls and Marcie Shaoul

Giving professionals who work with separating parents the tools and tips to help them help parents in conflict. Including information from the new edition of the Parenting through Separation Guide as well as exploring how we as professionals assisting the parent can help (and hinder) and the boundaries that could be helpful to put in place.

In/Fertility in the City: Is your law firm fertility friendly? (Workshop F)

With Natalie Sutherland and Somaya Ouazzani

In/Fertility in the City is a movement born of the need for radical change: a complete culture shift in all workplaces that better supports men and women around the world who are struggling with infertility whilst navigating professional careers. All too often their struggle is made even tougher when organisations have little to no understanding of how to support their staff on these difficult journeys.

Join Natalie and Somaya in this informative workshop to learn how your law firm can better support its staff through fertility challenges and, why family lawyers can be especially susceptible to the impact of fertility struggles.

Saturday morning workshops

Choosing a route through relationship breakdown (Workshop G)

With Denise Ingamells and Rebecca Hawkins

When a relationship breaks down, who can help with the arrangements? Tired of confrontation or want to increase your skills to help you develop as a family lawyer? Or do you want to explain non court approaches better to your clients?

Find out what happens in a MIAM and understand which option suits the facts.

We will:
• introduce all the approaches available for non-court resolution, and their key differences
• demonstrate a live exploratory meeting

Cohabitation reform: What might fair reform look like? (Workshop H)

With Graeme Fraser, Victoria Clarke and Sarah Basso

Following the Labour Party’s announcement that they will support the reform of cohabitation law, the question arises as to what that law should look like.

This workshop compares and contrasts various models of cohabitation law reform and considers models where cohabitees are given equality, as well as models where cohabitees are given lesser remedies than their married counterparts.

The workshop will look to countries around the world including Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand to see what we can learn from those countries’ experiences.

Domestic Abuse and Family Justice – Implementing Best Practice (Workshop I)

With Olive Craig

Rights of Women and Firebird Foundation are working on a project to address systemic problems in the Family Court. This project comes at a pivotal moment to carry out an un-replicated programme of work creating change in a local area. With increasing focus on vulnerable parties in court, like Resolution’s Vision for Justice and adopting the Harm Report’s recommendations, the project focuses on one local area to implement practical solutions and create opportunities for best practice.

This workshop will share learning from the first year of the project and give attendees the tools to replicate positive action locally.

South -v- Northern, where is the Powerhouse? (Workshop J)

With Sam Hillas KC, Ann Hussey KC, James Webb and Hannah Wood

1HC and St Johns Buildings (Manchester Family Law Chambers) conduct a lively debate contrasting recent decisions in the field of Family Law. We have all heard of forum shopping but is there a difference in where your hearing takes place in the UK?

Privacy and publicity in children cases and the reporting pilot (Workshop K)

With Charlotte Georges and Angela Killa

Reviewing the progress of the transparency pilot and the impact in children cases. Looking at cases that have been reported, media’s response to the pilot, has it made an impact?

Pensions on divorce – essential tips and current guidance (Workshop L)

With James Copson and Paul Cobley

James Copson and Paul Cobley will take you through the latest guidance and case law in this thorny subject area. The session will also cover changes to pension rules that family practitioners should be aware of in their day-to-day practice.

Saturday afternoon workshops

Variation Applications and all that Jazz (Workshop M)

With James Pirrie and Steve Hennessy

A lawyer (James Pirrie) and an independent financial adviser (Steve Hennessy) share their perspectives on variation applications taking in Duxbury, cash flow forecasting, behavioural psychology, investment theory… and all that jazz.

Demystifying Experts within Private Family Law Proceedings (Workshop N)

With Charlotte Kirkby, Alison Bushell and Dr Andrew Derry

The use of experts often determines the outcome of family cases, yet there is a distinct lack of guidance for solicitors as to the effective use of experts.

Therefore, in this case-study based workshop, we will hear from an Independent Social Worker and the Clinical Director of Psychology Experts on:
    • The differences between experts and how to select experts based on qualifications, specialisms and case specific information;
    • How to draft letters of instruction to ensure the best report and one that is likely to be most helpful to the Court;
    • How to interpret and challenge reports (given the lack of uniform regulation and standardisation in this area); and
    • How to assist clients during this process.
Imposter Syndrome: why do we think we’re faking it? (Workshop O)

With Leah Steele

Imposter Syndrome is something which affects us all in one way or the other during our careers. When we feel inadequate, that we will be found out, that crippling fear that claws at us even when we know we have worked hard and achieved what we have by merit.

Some suffer more than others including women and ethnic minorities and we would like to bring this popular topic, which was shared to all resolution members by way of a very popular webinar earlier this year, to conference in order to reach more people and provide expert insights and also to share means of coping, tools to navigate those feelings and how to tell the signs.

Navigating jurisdiction in children cases after Brexit: The Hague Convention 1996 and other jurisdictional considerations (Workshop P)

With Marisa Allman, Jo Ecob and Ben Mansfield

Jurisdiction in children cases, public and private, has become a hot topic in the post Brexit landscape. The Hague Convention 1996 has come to the fore and practitioners are having to get to grips with what this means for their clients in international cases. There have been multiple decisions in last three years in the High Court concerning jurisdiction, some of them conflicting, as well as several Court of Appeal decisions.

This workshop will aim to develop delegates’ understanding of and confidence in dealing with the jurisdictional framework for children matters under domestic law and the 1996 Hague Convention, and provide answers to critical questions. Delegates will be guided through the law and have the opportunity to discuss worked examples and recent cases.

Thank you to all of our facilitators who have put such hard work and passion into what promises to be a fantastic line-up of workshops for Conference 2024.