Knowledge and resources

The journey to partnership is not easy or quick, but there are ways to prepare and a mindset to cultivate.

There are many reasons why solicitor advocacy could be a good career move, and some key ways to prepare…

FS v JS and RS [2020] hit the headlines as an adult child sought financial support from the parents. It involved some interesting points on the limits of Schedule 1, inherent jurisdiction, and reading down/against the grain.

Two recent cases highlight the procedural difficulties and the court’s case management powers

The courts have a number of powers to enforce compliance with child arrangement orders but each needs to be carefully considered in the circumstances of the case.

C v D addresses the procedural issues and troubling assumptions made by the trial judge in F v H, but we will have to wait for a separate (conjoined) Court of Appeal decision to see if family law is going to catch up with criminal law in harm cases.

Immigration issues have, obviously, changed with the UK’s exit from the EU. And things haven’t got simpler.

In Re B (A child) (Unnecessary private law applications) HHJ Wildblood reminded us that DR options should almost always be considered before litigation.

“Self-funding, rejection letters, fruitless interviews, or to be ignored altogether. All character-building experiences, apparently…”

Family: the word means something to us all, both professionally and personally. For now though, can we all put aside the ‘lawyer’ in ‘family lawyer’ and reflect just on the ‘family’.

When I was asked to write this, I was told “the more personal it is, the better”, which put me off putting pen to paper. My experience of being a Black LGBT+ person growing up in the UK in the 90s is deeply personal and bite-sized versions of a formative human experience made me worried about being misquoted, misunderstood and judged.

Understanding your own experience, or indeed the experience of others, is an ongoing process. So, this will be a “where I am right now at my current state of evolution and understanding”.

When I was first approached to write this article to celebrate LGBT History Month, I panicked.

Representing lesbian mothers in 1980s Britain meant challenging rampant homophobia. It's a history that should not be forgotten.

To mark LGBT History Month, Resolution is sharing personal stories from members about their life in family law.

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.

“It’ll all be over by Christmas!” With that famous phrase in mind, we went into lockdown in March with a roughly three-month horizon. After six months – and still counting - we all face the reality and uncertainties of living with Covid-19 for an indefinite future.

There seems to be a gradual decrease in the amount of family consultancy services being utilised by clients. Why? And what are client and practitioners missing out on?

David Burrow's round up of the latest case law.

This case contained some interesting points on Covid and Brexit-related company valuations, but is chiefly of note for its costs sanction for failing to negotiate reasonably once the financial landscape was known.

This case sets out the processes that must be thought through to establish whether privilege is found to have been waived, and if so the degree of disclosure that must then take place.