News/Blogs  

  Morality, Divorce And Financial Revenge  

The end of a marriage can be a very emotional experience. Even for those people who remain relatively amicable and sanguine, unpicking the many individual threads of what might have been a lengthy relationship is loaded with sentiment. Of course, regardless of the advice provided by divorce lawyers, mediators or family about the merits of […]

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  Double Top: Further Awards Glory And Continued Growth For Hall Brown  

Hall Brown Family Law has set the seal on another remarkable year with a brace of prestigious industry awards. It was named Medium-sized Law Firm of the Year in last night’s Manchester Legal Awards (MLAs). That triumph was followed on the very same evening by the Boutique Law Firm title at the eprivateclient Excellence Awards […]

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  Consideration, Cohabitation And Polls: Hope Of Legal Reform?  

The late Harold Wilson famously quipped that “a week is a long time in politics”. An MP for more than 30 years, he possessed more than enough experience to make the oft-quoted observation. Britain during the era in which he twice became Prime Minister was, of course, very much different to now. Marriage was the […]

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  Security And The Single Life  

Age, it is said, brings wisdom. For many individuals, that knowledge is, sadly, gleaned from difficult life experiences. Even though most of the marriage break-ups which I have handled on behalf of clients over the course of my career have been relatively amicable, the very natural emotions which surface during the process can leave those […]

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  Conflict And Resolution: Confronting Frustration Tactics In The Family Court  

Although we might wish otherwise, family relations are not always without difficulty. In some cases, even discussions regarding childcare arrangements or the division of joint marital assets which begin quite amicably can become tense. That can be due to quite natural emotions which arise in those faced with the breakdown of what might have been […]

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  Autism, Family Courts And Fairness  

Fairness is one of the fundamental principles of law. That applies both to ongoing proceedings – whether they’re in court or not – and any orders or agreements which might arise from them. It is something which those presiding over cases are regularly reminded of – for example, by the Judicial College, which organises training […]

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  Exceptional Circumstances, Divorce And The ‘Annulment Trap’  

For those going through the process, divorce can seem like a deeply personal and solitary experience. However, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 113,505 opposite-sex and same-sex couples ended their marriages this way in 2021 (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/divorce/bulletins/divorcesinenglandandwales/2021). I suspect that few if any of those individuals exchanged vows with the intention of divorcing soon […]

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  Second Time Around: Lockdown Marriage And The Over-Fifties  

A recent high-profile court case involving Ed Sheeran has reminded us that many popular songs stretching back decades have employed similar musical devices to – quite literally – strike a chord with listeners. However, the same is true of the themes explored by those responsible for penning the lyrics. Certain topics have resonated to such […]

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  Decades And Delays: A Timely Legal Aid Review?  

Family law is one of the most discretionary of all legal disciplines. Even the most experienced practitioners know that the outcome of a case which goes to court can depend on how the judge hearing it interprets the evidence which is given. For people without legal training who choose to represent themselves, the situation can […]

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  Marital Loss And Capital Gains  

Last year saw the introduction of the most significant reform of divorce law in half a century. The introduction of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act meant that individuals who believed that their marriages had failed no longer had to apportion blame for those relationships having irretrievably broken down (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348230949). However, as experienced family lawyers, we […]

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