header-logo header-logo

11 October 2022
Issue: 7998 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Procedure & practice , Divorce
printer mail-detail

One lawyer, two clients for family cases

A ‘one lawyer, two clients’ model for family law cases has been launched by family law organisation, Resolution, with the backing of the president of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane.

Resolution launched its Resolution Together model last week, at its family practice conference in Nottingham. The model works by allowing one lawyer to provide advice to a separating couple, including through a divorce or separation. Its development follows the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 which allows couples, for the first time, to make joint applications to end a marriage collectively.

Sir Andrew told the conference that a move to the model was ‘key’ and emphasised a shift in language was required as part of a culture change away from the notion of ‘going to court to fight it out’.

Resolution chair Juliet Harvey said the model was ‘another approach that will help minimise conflict between separating families’.

Harvey also highlighted the ‘desperate state’ of the ‘underfunded and understaffed’ family courts, with ‘increasing delays and backlogs’.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Cripps—Radius Law

Cripps—Radius Law

Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire

Switalskis—Grimsby

Switalskis—Grimsby

Firm expands with new Grimsby office to serve North East Lincolnshire

Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury

Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury

Property team boosted by two solicitor appointments

NEWS
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
A landmark ruling has reshaped child clinical negligence claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Jodi Newton, head of birth and paediatric negligence at Osbornes Law, explains how the Supreme Court in CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 has overturned Croke v Wiseman, ending the long-standing bar on children recovering ‘lost years’ earnings
A Court of Appeal ruling has drawn a firm line under party autonomy in arbitration. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed, associate professor at the University of Leicester, analyses Gluck v Endzweig [2026] EWCA Civ 145, where a clause allowing arbitrators to amend an award ‘at any time’ was held incompatible with the Arbitration Act 1996
back-to-top-scroll