I am a family law barrister. I have been up and running for seven years and am still amazed at how little most people understand about the work that I do (even my friends – you know who you are). I’d love to think that this blog will persuade at least one person we aren’t all the money hungry sharks you think we are. Some of us are quite nice really. And I’d like to think that I can provide some useful information about family law for those working in the area without getting too heavy or boring.
Since summer 2008 when I made my escape from the big smoke and back to my roots in the West Country I have been a member of St John’s Chambers in Bristol. Finally, I’m at home…
Of course, everything on the blog is suitably anonymised so that nobody (including me) gets into hot water. Where necessary I have tweaked facts to ensure that individual cases are not identifiable.
And, in case you were wondering nothing in this blog is intended to constitute or be taken as legal advice. You should take legal advice in relation to any specific case. And of course I cannot be responsible for the content of sites linked to from this blog.
Moderation - Unfortunately I’ve had to start moderating comments on this blog. Please be assured I don’t plan to block sensible contributions to a discussion, whether the contributors agree with me or not - but I will weed out comments that are seeking to exploit this blog as a forum to air their own negative views about lawyers in a repetitive or offensive manner. I will try and moderate as quickly as possible.
Right of Reply – I try to be careful and fair with my posts on this blog and try to avoid causing upset to individuals, but if there is any post concerning you as an individual that contains an inaccuracy or mistake that you would like me to correct please post a comment and I will give you a right of reply. I will usually only edit or reject comments that contain offensive material or material which the law or rules of court prevent me from publishing.
Please feel free to email me with suggestions for topics I could cover or blog posts you’d like to see.
Hi! Have just added you to my family law blogroll. We are a small but growing band. Delia Venables is doing a piece on family law blogs and if you get in touch with her she will probably include you on her website listings.
Good luck with it. A reciprocal link would be lovely.
As from Tuesday 25th September the popular Radio 4 series “Law in Action” will be available as a podcast from http://www.bbc.co.uk/lawinaction or via iTunes
The series returns with features on compulsion of witnesses, the use of DNA evidence and a powerful interview with the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers.
With best wishes,
[...] About [...]
Hi
I am an Insolvency Practitioner and like you I am eager to dispel myths about the profession I am in and at the same time ensure more people get to know more about the basic building blocks of insolvency law and practice.
Increasingly I see the grey area between insolvency and family law as a challenge. I am sure that you see it the same, being the flip side of the coin.
I would appreciate it if we could swop thoughts on where the grey areas between our two specialisms are, how grey they are at the moment, and what developments there may be in the courts and in response to the cases passing through the courts going forward that may effect what either of us does and the advice we give to clients/action we have to take?
Regards
Paul
Hi Paul,
This grey area seems to be a hotbed of activity at the moment, with new case law appearing all the time. Its clearly one of those areas that family lawyers need to know something about, and I ensure I am up to speed with the basics, but those who are truly expert in both areas are I think quite few and far between. Both are highly specialist areas. I am certainly not one of them.
It certainly seems that now more than ever the family courts (and family lawyers) cannot ignore a bankruptcy or a possible bankruptcy, and that there may be more cases in which we will have to take specialist advice from an insolvency practitioner in order to give a client the soundest of advice (whether that be on behalf of a debtor or her/his spouse)…
I am putting together a seminar for family lawyers on this, it will take me a month or so, but I am am sure that a lot will ‘out’ from taking the time out to bring it all together.
Have you heard the outcome of the appeal on Hill & Bangham v Haines?
Hi Paul,
Judgment not out I don’t think. See Family Lore (http://www.familylore.co.uk/2007/11/patience.html), who I think is keeping tabs on this…
Loo
Hi
is there any way of finding out what recent posts (in threads) have been made?
You’ve responded to a couple of comments I’ve made, but I only found out by checking the thread.
Regards
STH
No idea. Anyone out there who can tell us?
Recent comments are easy to add with WordPress. Just go to your Dashboard, select Presentation, then Widgets, and choose the Recent Comments widget. (You have to save the changes, of course.)
So easy I’ve done it in the blink of an eye. Thanks.
Please excuse the shameless self promotion, but…
You (and your readers) might be interested to know that we have recently launched a new blog named “The Ancillary Actuary” (http://www.ancillaryactuary.co.uk). The blog is intended to promote discussion of the financial aspects of divorce, amongst the professionals working in that area. Your views on our content would be much appreciated.
Regards
James Moore
Bradshaw Dixon & Moore Ltd.
PS. It is not my intention to “spam” your site to get publicity for ours. I perfectly understand that you might not wish to publish this comment.
Hi there,
really useful site, but I’m at work at the moment so don’t have much time to search through old blogs. Is there anything on here about ways to make/encourage a father continue with visits to his child? seem to find things about fathers having the right to see their child, but what about the right of the child to see their father?!
Many thanks in advance,
Soph
Nothing specific I don’t think, but I know people have commented before that they wish there was a mechanism to encourage a father’s relationship with his child – the answer I’m afraid is always the same – there is no legal mechanism for achieving this, and not much in the way of practical solution that can be offered to help resolve this sad situation. You can bring a horse to water and all that…Sorry if that’s not remotely helpful.
Hi,
Like the blog – I’ve just given it a mention in Community Care – hope that’s ok.
Regards
Simeon
Excellent – thanks.