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NLJ this week: Three wishes for the new Lord Chancellor

06 September 2024
Issue: 8084 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Family , Child law
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If the new Labour Lord Chancellor could make three changes to family law procedure, what should they be?

In this first part of a two-part NLJ series, family law solicitor-advocate David Burrows sets out his wishlist for change.

Burrows, a fierce critic of procedural inefficiency, regularly highlights in his NLJ columns the dire consequences of court delays on children caught up in the family justice system. Here, he pinpoints three areas for improvement and skilfully presents argument for each.

On children’s rights to make applications, Burrows recalls a 2016 case in which Lady Justice Black described the law of child representation as ‘of complexity’. Burrows writes: ‘In the company of so experienced a children lawyer, what hope has a child of knowing how to get anywhere?’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gibson Dunn—London partner promotions

Gibson Dunn—London partner promotions

Firm grows international bench with expanded UK partner class

Shakespeare Martineau—six appointments

Shakespeare Martineau—six appointments

Firm makes major statement in the capital with strategic growth at The Shard

Myers & Co—Jess Latham

Myers & Co—Jess Latham

Residential conveyancing team expands with solicitor hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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