Knowledge & resources

Resolution members have increasingly found they must work with litigants in person (LiPs).

In this article we address some key questions you may have when working with litigants in person and provide some top tips for communicating with your client when a litigant in person is involved.

In this podcast, Nicola Wallace and Catherine Wood QC discuss advocacy in family law.

In this podcast, Denise Ingamells, Head of London SPIPs at RCJ Advice, and Marc Etherington from Resolution’s Parenting After Parting Committee, discuss how the Separated Parents Information Programme works.

In this audio recording of their workshop, Gillian Bishop and Felicity Shedden, explore how parenting co-ordination supports parents in high conflict to implement final child arrangements orders or parenting agreements.

The procedure for financial dispute resolution appointments (FDRs) is set out in Part 9.17 of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR) and Practice Direction 9A (PD 9A). They are meetings “held for the purposes of discussion and negotiation”, "to reduce the tension which inevitably arises in family disputes and facilitating settlement of those disputes" (para 6.1 PD 9A).

Issues regarding fertility law have increased significantly in the last few years and members are now likely to encounter such issues on a more frequent basis. There are family lawyers who have a particular specialism in fertility law but it is an area in which we should all be able to give advice and assistance when requested. This guide aims to assist our members on best practice in this area.

Non-married cohabiting relationships look set to continue to increase year on year, so advising clients embarking on cohabitation, those already living together wanting to understand their ‘rights’ and those whose cohabiting relationship has broken down, will form an increasing part of the workload of family lawyers. This guide aims to assist Resolution members and their conveyancing lawyer colleagues to manage these cases effectively, in accordance with our Code of Practice.

It is very common, particularly once court proceedings have commenced, for one or both parties to struggle to meet ongoing legal fees. The parties are usually already struggling to adapt to financially supporting two separate households and may be unable to release funds from assets held in joint names, for example.

One of the most important aspects of a family lawyer's job is to draft documents on behalf of clients. The documentation can take many different forms and it is often these documents that are pivotal in resolving disputes between parties, whether at a court hearing or in negotiations.

This practice guide provides an overview of working within the Codes of Practice when faced with complex and sensitive issues involving Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). It does not seek to be a ‘how to guide’, as there are many publications available for you to refer to.

Social media can be a useful resource for family solicitors to connect with the public and other professionals, publicise campaigns, raise the profile of members and communicate about the work we do. As it can potentially reach a very wide audience, we must be careful about how our use of social media impacts on our client-related work.

Client care is an essential part of a lawyer’s role and is the very first topic dealt with in the SRA Code of Conduct. It is subject to regulatory control due to the importance of the relationship for the client, who may not have had any reason to consult a lawyer in the past.

Service of documents is a particularly sensitive area. It is sometimes essential that documents are served upon the other party personally, but this could inflame the situation and be counterproductive to the aims and ethos of the Resolution Code of Practice.

This guide looks at the issues and ways in which service of documents can be achieved in a constructive way, in order to avoid increasing the acrimony between the parties.

Family lawyers all over the country are seeing an increase in cases involving international aspects. This guide looks at the specific code of practice issues arising in international cases and gives guidance on how international cases can be dealt with in a code-compliant way.

Please note: the location of family lawyers on the map below is indicative only. For their exact contact address, please consult the lawyer directly.

Find resources on mediation, collaborative practice, arbitration and more.

This article looks at what's required with the initial client contact before mediation.

The rules around the validation of overseas divorces are not clear-cut, and may require expert evidence from the country where the divorce was obtained

The degree of recalcitrance in this case was rare but not unique, and reminds practitioners to ensure clients comply with their obligations, including full and frank disclosure, from the outset

Making sure LiPs know the purpose of individual hearings on the day, as well as – more generally – understanding their point of view, can help them without compromising our client’s best interests