Family law, relationships & divorce: thoughts & comment
The run-up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of year in a family lawyer’s calendar. Christmas often becomes a focal point for clients wanting to have their divorce and financial settlement done and dusted or a house purchase completed. One of the most contentious issues can be arrangements for children over the festive... Continue Reading →
Last week saw the High Court decide that a transgender man who gave birth with the help of fertility treatment cannot be legally registered as the father (or parent) of his child. The case has also provided the first legal definition of a mother. This case highlighted just one of the difficulties faced by... Continue Reading →
Parenting apart from birth – how to make it work Becoming a new parent is an emotional, physical and practical rollercoaster, an all-consuming challenge like no other you have experienced before. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I have recently learnt how vital support of family and friends is at... Continue Reading →
Recently, I spoke at a seminar for female business professionals in Bristol about personal legal well-being. I am sharing my presentation in the hope that some of the tips and pointers may be of use to my business contacts and their clients, friends, family and professional contacts. Most of us only think of needing legal... Continue Reading →
The term 'meal ticket for life' is the controversial expression used by the media to describe open-ended spousal maintenance in divorce cases, which is intended to be paid for the duration of the lives of the payee and recipient. This somewhat distasteful phrase has again been the subject of much interest and public debate, thanks... Continue Reading →
Ending a long term relationship or marriage is one of the most stressful things that you will go through in life. Holidays, time at home, family and Christmas pressure can cause the cracks in a relationship to show, or one or both of you may decide that a new year is the time to move... Continue Reading →
Ryan Giggs is the latest in a string of high profile footballers embroiled in court proceedings following the breakdown of his marriage. However, the case has received significant attention, not for the reasons behind the marriage breakdown, rather in relation to the financial separation and his contributions during the marriage. Giggs has announced that it... Continue Reading →
In October, together with two YRes colleagues, I made the keynote speech at Resolution's annual Dispute Resolution conference. The article below summarises the key points of our speech, based around the changing needs of families of the future and how family lawyers can best support them. The family law landscape is in near-total flux. The... Continue Reading →
The importance of legal advice and wealth protection following a lottery win or large windfall. The Independent recently featured an article about Britain's youngest Euromillions winner and the detrimental impact that winning the lottery had on her life. Jane Park was 17 when she won £1m on Euromillions. She is now 21 and is planning... Continue Reading →
3 January 2017. The first working day of the new year. Supposedly, one of the “highlights” of every family lawyer’s calendar, when we allegedly see a year-on-year unprecedented increase in new enquiries about divorce and separation. Every year, we will read in the press of one or two law firms anticipating a huge rise in... Continue Reading →
Picking up the pieces 