In the midst of one of the warmest summers on record, a breath of fresh air swept through the Family Division, bringing 40 years of experience in family law, plus some system-changing views. Sir Andrew McFarlane was appointed President of the Family Division following the retirement of Sir James Munby in July 2018, and like […]
This article has been published by Lawyer Monthly. Click here to read it in full. In a time of unprecedented uncertainty and huge shifts in society, passionate, resolute leaders driving positive change for the good of families across the country are more important than ever. The retirement of the outspoken Sir James Munby as […]
A break-up is a trying time for everyone, but the potential impact on the mental health of children involved is easily overlooked. This World Mental Health Day, which falls on October 10th, I want to encourage divorcing parents to take steps to reduce the impact separation can have on their children’s mental health. Mental health […]
This article was originally published in BCL Legal: The Brief Why can’t a person bring an end to their marriage if they really, truly want to leave their husband or wife but can’t or don’t want to blame them for their marriage breaking down? Last month, the Supreme Court decided that a woman who […]
With World Friendship Day coming up on the 30th July, you may be wondering how you can support and celebrate your friends if they are going through a divorce or family breakdown. It can be hard to know what to say to someone during this difficult phase of their life, but these are the periods […]
Father’s Day is one of those dates in the calendar which people treat in very different ways, but no matter how Father’s Day was celebrated in the past, it can become a very different occasion when a mum and a dad are separated or divorced. While some dads are content with a simple card and […]
The latest statistics for marriage in England and Wales reveal that marriage rates for opposite sex couples have fallen to the lowest on record, underlining the need for family law reform, particularly regarding cohabitation rights. The report, published in February 2018 looks at data from 2015 when there were 239,090 marriages between opposite sex couples […]
This month, the justice secretary, David Gauke has agreed to examine the case for reforming divorce law. This comes after ever growing pressure from campaigners, newspapers and senior judges to change the “unjust” and “outdated” laws that dictate when a couple can and can’t get divorced. There are lots of changes that could be made […]
As a committed member of Resolution and the Family Mediators Association, I strongly encourage my clients to pursue mediation as a means of resolving legal disputes, especially when there are children involved. Latest figures suggest that 30% of cases involving the government’s Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) have already been in […]
It’s true, January really is a busy time for divorces. This week, dozens of people have been coming to us for help in getting a divorce. It’s a sad situation, but it’s a situation in which people really appreciate the expertise that we can offer as Newark’s only FMC accredited mediator and as a solicitor […]
