Knowledge & resources

For every issue of The Review we will be publishing the articles here in the Knowledge and Resources section of our website as well as the pdf of the printed version.

The Review catches up with… Cris McCurley of Ben Hoare Bell, who won the Family Award at this year’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards, which Resolution was proud to sponsor. Cris is an expert in forced marriage, honour-based violence and FGM cases, and is described as the “go-to” solicitor for multiple charities supporting victims of domestic abuse. Resolution would also like to commend the runners up: Novlet Levy and Oliver Conway.

Mediators clearly have a great deal of influence over the structure and conduct of the negotiation process. So what happens if they get it wrong?

The rules around pension sharing orders are complex and fraught with risk…

AEOs can be powerful tools to ensure payment so maintenance, but the exact rules are rigid and need to be followed carefully.

In Derhalli v Derhalli [2021] unexpected developments in the housing market pending sale of the FMH could not change the fundamentals of an already-agreed consent order.

ND (by her litigation friend KW) v GD [2021] EWFC 53 saw the court – in circumstances of a party’s declining health – assess the appropriateness of a clean break, the factors to taken into account when assessing needs, and the source of the family wealth.

16 February 1984: Torvill and Dean had just won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax” was continuing its five-week reign at number one. The then Attorney-General Sir Michael Havers was also addressing the Commons as to what would become Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act (MFPA).

Mostyn J has raised the spectre of a Supreme Court reconsideration of financial claims following the death of a party.

Re H-N & ors provides a very useful steer on a number of significant issues in children proceedings where allegations of domestic abuse are made.

As international and post-Brexit issues become ever more important for family practitioners, those who missed this workshop at the National Conference may well wish to seek it out on the members website. Resolution’s International Committee cantered through the key issues: divorce and finances jurisdiction/stays, pre-marital agreements, recognition and enforcement issues, children jurisdiction and international service.

Two recent cases have seen the courts grapple with difficult issues concerning puberty blockers.

With the pandemic increasing the number of emails sent directly to judges, it is crucial to remember the rules and principles that apply in this area.

Karin Walker’s conference webinar ran through the wide variety of DR options now available and set out their respective merits.

Cultural and systemic change are needed in family dispute resolution workplaces if we are to tackle the wellbeing crisis.

The EDI Committee is working hard on a number of projects. These cast a spotlight on various aspects of EDI: the privileges that many of us as members have, as well as the additional challenges that many others of us have to manage, at times battle with, and at other times are able to celebrate. These additional challenges and privileges of course reflect those of the general public - our clients that we all do our best to assist in our professional lives.

The Nuffield report on changing court demographics makes fascinating reading. It proves, for example, that the court are now dealing with more challenging and complicated cases.

With the outbreak of Covid-19 many of you will not be at your offices to receive your printed copy of The Review but help is at hand. For every issue we will be publishing the articles here in the Knowledge and Resources section of our website as well as the pdf of the printed version.

A key theme of this year’s Resolution National Conference was wellbeing. We are all currently well aware of the additional strain that family lawyers are under at the moment due to increased workloads, juggling working from home with the office, and managing and working with our clients in these difficult and unprecedented times.