good practice

Guidance note on service of documents

Clear evidence that someone has been properly served documents both as to location and timing of such service is essential for your case records. This can be a sensitive area. 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.

Guidance note on funding options

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

Good Practice Guide to Cohabitation Cases

Non-married cohabiting relationships 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 continue to form an increasing part of the workload of family lawyers. Until cohabitation law reform has been introduced to protect unmarried couples, this guide aims to assist Resolution members, their conveyancing lawyer and private client colleagues to manage these cases effectively, in accordance with our Code of Practice.

Good Practice Guide to Working with Litigants in Person

With the reforms to family justice, cutbacks on legal aid and changes in behaviour in relation to the ways in which people approach family relationship breakdown, there has been a significant increase in the number of litigants in person and you should consider how your dealings with litigants in person will differ from those with another lawyer.

Guidance Note: Fertility cases

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.

Good Practice Guide to Communication

The introduction, development and evolution of new methods of resolving family disputes for changing families means there is a need for us all to look at how we communicate as members of Resolution; with our clients, with other members, with our clients’ former partners if they are not represented by a lawyer, with other members of our clients’ families, with other non-member lawyers, barristers, judges, mediators and arbitrators and more widely within the family justice system. Poor communication accounts for the largest number of complaints received by Resolution.