Talking Family Law – the Resolution Podcast

Listen to Resolution’s podcast, with guest experts discussing topical issues in Family Law, with our hosts Simon Blain and Anita Mehta.

Join Resolution’s family law experts in our Podcast series

Each episode welcomes guest experts sharing their take on topical family law issues.  We cover the whole spectrum of family law, from abduction, surrogacy, and public law to financial remedy.

We invite our guests to take a deep-dive into a different topic each month.  On each episode we try and cover what is the current state of the law, or the leading authority, practical tips (if you are running one of these cases), and thoughts for reform.

Do expect some lively debates, and personal insights.  We try to find known experts in their field and ask them the things that we all want to know.  If you are an expert on a particular topic, either regionally or nationally, we would like to hear from you, so do please get in touch.

We were thrilled to be shortlisted for the Family Law Commentator of the Year award at the 2023 LexisNexis Awards.

Hosts Simon Blain and Anita Mehta with Resolution staff at the LexisNexis Awards 2023

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DISCLAIMER:  Nothing in any of the episodes is supposed to constitute legal advice.  We invite our guests to express personal views by way of legal commentary, this may differ from how they put their client’s case.

No liability is accepted for any error or omission about the law in respect of a particular topic.

 

S4 Episode 2: Black History Month: Reclaiming the Narrative

About this episode

Hosted by: Anita Mehta and Simon Blain

Guests: Natasha Shotunde, Olamide Ogunrinade and Donna Goodsell

Further information
This month we are joined by Natasha Shotunde (Garden Court Chambers), Olamide Ogunrinade (Garden Court Chambers) and Donna Goodsell (Goodsells Family Law) to celebrate Black History Month.  Natasha and Olamide are members of the Black Barristers Network https://blackbarristersnetwork.org.uk.  Donna is one of the Co-Chairs of Resolution’s Equality & Diversity Committee.

Natasha tells us about the last Race at the Bar report.

https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/resource/race-at-the-bar-report-2021.html

The statistics reveal a worrying lack of diversity in the Bar.  Natasha tells us that these figures are due to be updated soon.

Donna explains that Resolution last surveyed its membership in 2019, which found that the membership was disproportionately white:

https://resolution.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/resolution-diversity-data-report.pdf

Resolution is currently conducting a survey to see whether these figures have improved.

Donna tells us that the starting point into making Resolution more diverse has been to ensure that the Committees are more diverse.

Olamide explains the research into the impact of race on outcomes in the Family Court.

https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/nfjo_briefing_paper_ethnicity_20230518_FINAL.pdf

The research continues as to why outcomes are impacted by race. In the meantime, she draws are attention to the anti-racist practice statement produced by the Sussex Quality Circle:

https://www.sussexfamilyjusticeboard.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Family-Court-anti-racist-practice-statement-Final-app-FJYPB-00.12.2022.docx

Natasha, Donna and Olamide leave us with an idea for one thing we can all do to make a difference today.  Olamide tells us to be curious.  If we are all curious about each other’s race, religions, and backgrounds we can create a different tomorrow

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