Melanie Bataillard-Samuel, Chair of Resolution’s National Committee, addressed delegates at National Conference
Brighton, 21 May 2026
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Thank you, Colin, and good morning everyone – welcome to our National Conference.
It’s genuinely lovely to see so many of you here: colleagues, friends, and the wider Resolution community – the people that make this organisation what it is.
And if this is your first conference: you’ve picked a brilliant place to start. You’ll leave with ideas, connections and – hopefully – a few reminders that you’re not doing this work on your own.
And before we get into the programme — I just want to say a quick personal word.
I can hardly believe I’m already coming up to the halfway point of my time as Chair. It genuinely has flown by.
What’s stayed with me most is the privilege of meeting so many of you — in your regions, at training days, dinners, conferences — and hearing, first-hand, what practice really looks like right now.
From day one, I’ve wanted Lucy and I to be visible and accessible — not as distant names on a website, but as people you can actually grab, email, or speak to; people who will listen, and then take your reality into the rooms where decisions get shaped.
So if you’ve spoken to me this year — thank you. And if you haven’t yet, please do. Because I want every member to feel supported, connected, and proud to belong here.
I want to start with some thank yous…
Thank you to, Jo and Verity, and both the Sussex regions for supporting us in putting on this National Conference. We had a great time here three years ago, and the next two days promise to be bigger and better than before!
Thank you to our headline sponsors… 1KBW and 29 Bedford Row. And to all of our other sponsors, too – without your support events like this wouldn’t be possible.
Thank you, too, to the brilliant Resolution staff, who work so hard behind the scenes to bring these events to life.
And finally, thank you to Peter Burgess and Pelumi Adeola, who are stepping down from the National Committee.
The time, energy and care you’ve given to Resolution, often alongside demanding professional lives, is extraordinary. This organisation simply does not function without people like you, and, on a personal level, I’ll miss you both tremendously.
And, as announced at our AGM a few moments ago, congratulations to Laura Clapton and Marc Etherington, who were re-elected to National Committee; and a big welcome to those who are joining us – James Belderbos, and Madeleine Young.
We are absolutely delighted to have you. You are joining a committee that is full of purpose and intent… and I am very glad you’re part of what comes next.
The biggest thank you, though, must go to something that sits at the very heart of Resolution – and that I’ve come to appreciate even more over the past year.
Our regions.
Every time I travel around the country – and I’ve been lucky enough to visit many of you over the past year – I come away with the same feeling.
Immense pride.
Because what is happening across our regional groups is extraordinary.
There is energy. There is commitment. There is creativity. And there is a Resolution community blossoming throughout the country; from Cornwall and Devon, all the way up to the North East.
You are building relationships – not just with each other, but with local judges, with professionals from across disciplines, and with your wider communities.
You are bringing Resolution to life where it matters most – on the ground, close to the people we serve.
Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing:
That people are proud to be part of Resolution. That they value what we stand for.
And that they feel supported in the work they do.
So to our regional chairs, committees, and members — thank you.
You really are the heart and soul of this organisation.
That sense of community extends beyond lawyers.
One of the things that has genuinely surprised me is the strength and commitment of our non-lawyer members.
Financial advisers. Therapists. Mediators. Barristers and the many other professionals we collaborate with.
They are not here just because it brings them work. They are here because they believe in what Resolution stands for. They believe in a better way of working.
A way that is more constructive. More collaborative. More focused on the people at the centre of what we do.
Because Resolution is not just about the advice we give. It’s about how we work, the standards we hold ourselves to, and the culture we create. And that is something we should all be incredibly proud of.
Every regional visit reminds me of the same thing: Resolution isn’t abstract. It’s people. It’s someone staying late to organise a speaker. It’s the “quick email” that turns into a whole evening. And it’s the quiet kindness of colleagues who show up for each other — again and again.
Since I stood here last year – well, on a very similar looking stage in Birmingham – and delivered my first speech as your Chair at National Conference, I have seen firsthand how Resolution has continued to grow, evolve, and deliver at pace.
And I want to take a moment to reflect on that.
Because one of the things that has struck me during my first year as your Chair is just how much this organisation does.
Some of it you see. But so much of it happens behind the scenes.
The policy work.
The meetings with government and the judiciary.
The training.
The guides and handbooks.
The forums.
The committee meetings.
The podcast.
The Review.
There really is always something happening.
And increasingly, we are being called upon by government – and I’m confident in saying that Resolution is very much recognised as the voice for family justice professionals.
I am hearing it more and more in the meetings I am attending, whether it’s with the President, HMCTS, the MoJ, or our partner organisations:
“Can Resolution look into this?”
“What do your members think about that?”
“We’d like Resolution to be involved in this.”
And what that tells us – very clearly – is that what Resolution says matters.
Our voice matters. And that is down to all of you.
I should add, at this point, that the previous President was a great friend of Resolution, and we wish him well in his retirement.
We look forward to continuing that positive relationship with his successor Sir Stephen Cobb, and we’re delighted he’s joining us tomorrow after Question Time, so don’t make any plans to leave early!
Now, I want to take a moment to talk about the work that underpins all of this.
Because, as I’ve already said, so much of what Resolution does is not always visible.
Our committees are doing an enormous amount of work.
Responding to consultations.
Carrying out research.
Giving evidence.
Engaging with government.
Writing for the Review and our new blog, Resonate.
Whether that’s the Family Law Reform Group, The Parenting After Parting Committee, The Cohabitation Committee or the Domestic Abuse Committee, who put a tremendous amount of work into updating the Domestic Abuse Good Practice Guide that you can find in front of you this morning.
This work takes time. It takes expertise. And it takes commitment.
And it is all done by members, for members. Without you, we simply could not do it.
The impact of your work and your commitment to Resolution is real.
Conference, believe me when I say that we are taken seriously. Very seriously.
I don’t think I fully appreciated, before becoming Chair, just how much the judiciary and others rely on Resolution.
But they do. When we speak, people listen. When we respond, it carries weight. And that is something we must never lose sight of.
A good example of that is our work around child-focused courts, previously known as the pathfinder pilot.
This is another area where our voice is being heard.
With your help, we canvassed views of members in the pilot areas about how the new approach was working and where improvements could be made.
Thanks to this survey, we were able to meaningfully report back to government and the judiciary, who were keen to hear this and future feedback as the child-focused courts are rolled out more widely.
This is an important role for us to play, reporting back from the frontline. Because we do believe in this direction of travel – a more child-focused system is absolutely the right goal. But we also want to be clear that this is only part of the solution.
Real change requires proper resourcing. It requires investment into legal aid, advice and information. And it requires a family justice system that is properly funded and able to function effectively.
So we will continue to advocate, clearly and consistently, for what is needed to help all of you to continue to help separating families ‘find a better way’.
And that brings me to something else that has come up time and again in conversations with members.
The harsh reality of the system you are working in.
We know that many of you are dealing with incredibly challenging circumstances.
Delays. Pressures on legal aid. Clients who are already vulnerable – and often traumatised by the time they come to you.
And if you’re feeling it’s hard to be heard right now — please know this: you can feed that into Resolution, and we will carry it for you.
And I want to say this clearly.
We have your back.
Whether it’s through our engagement with government, the resources we provide, or other members giving you a network of support.
Resolution is here to help you navigate those challenges.
I hope you have seen how we have done that over the last 12 months, as we provided advice, guidance and support to members to survive the Legal Aid Agency data breach.
And – thanks to brilliant members like Juliet Harvey, we stood with those of you who were affected by the impact of the Mazur judgment.
We know that you are supporting some of the most vulnerable people, through the most difficult moments in their lives. And we want you to be sure that you are not doing that alone. Resolution is always here for you.
And as members – together we are stronger.
But it’s not a one way street. We each have a part to play – in how we write, how we speak to each other, and how we live the Code when the pressure is on. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to keep in mind the challenges that we are all facing in our day-to-day lives and to be there for one another.
So, Conference, I want to ask something of you.
As I said earlier, Resolution is not something that simply happens – it happens as a combined effort of all of us in this room; it’s the tireless work of the Resolution staff; it’s the passion and countless hours those of you who sit on – and have previously been part of – our committees; it’s the amazing group of trainers we have sharing their expertise.
It is all of us.
So when you go back to your regions, your firms, your teams – I want you to do one thing.
Tell one person one thing Resolution does to help you – just one. Because collectively, what we do is extraordinary.
And we should be proud of that. Proud enough to shout about it and proud enough to encourage others to join Resolution.
After this week’s Conference, I’ll be halfway through my journey as your Chair. Previous Chairs have told me that this speech at this point feels very much like ‘the difficult second album’.
I want you to know that we will continue to listen to you, our members, and I am excited for what the next 12 months holds for us all.
Believe me, there is more coming.
More accessible training. More opportunities to engage. More work to influence the system we operate in.
And we will continue to do that – together. Because this organisation is built on its members.
Every resource we produce – the specialist handbooks, our good practice guides.
Every event and training course – from conferences like this to lunch and learns.
Every change we secure – no fault divorce and, hopefully soon, cohabitation reform.
It is all because of you. Your support. Your expertise. Your commitment.
So thank you. For everything you do for Resolution. For everything you do for your clients. And for everything you do for each other.
I hope you have a fantastic conference. Please do take the opportunity to connect.
To learn. To share ideas. And to celebrate what we are part of.
Because Resolution is something very special.
And it is my privilege to be part of it.
Thank you.