Published on 20 December, 2024 | Sarah Manning
The breakdown of a relationship between spouses, civil or cohabiting partners can be unpleasant, simply in terms of the emotional discomfort which it can create. However, when parents split, regardless of the formality of their domestic arrangements, the sensitivities are naturally heightened. It is something that family courts and the law are very much alive […]
Read morePublished on 28 November, 2024 | Emma Hubbard
Whenever crime figures are published, there is a temptation for some people to focus on the numbers. They may be shocking in themselves but such scrutiny can mean that the experience of those individuals who are the victims of crime becomes lost amidst a forest of statistics. It was something of which I was acutely […]
Read morePublished on 27 November, 2024 | Melanie Hadwin
No matter how amicable a couple is, the end of a marriage is never a particularly pleasant experience. Even so, it is imperative to respect the process in order to avoid aggravating any tension or natural emotion that there may be. An integral part of that is the division of the couple’s assets. Discussions as […]
Read morePublished on 19 November, 2024 | Bronwyn Warmington
Whilst the festive period is the best time of year for some, Christmas can be challenging for others, particularly separated parents who are navigating the world of co-parenting. To avoid any last-minute issues or stress, it is best to plan ahead and agree the arrangements as soon as possible. This will allow parents to give […]
Read morePublished on 15 November, 2024 | Madelaine Hailey
Britain has historically had a reputation as a nation of animal lovers. According to figures published recently by a leading veterinary charity, more than half of all UK adults own a pet (https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report/uk-pet-populations-of-dogs-cats-and-rabbits). Furthermore, many of those people regard their cats, dogs and rabbits as important members of their households (https://www.purina.co.uk/news/pets/family-members-data-study). Whilst that’s all very […]
Read morePublished on 12 November, 2024 | Hannah Durkin
Fashions can change dramatically from season to season. Equally, if we lift our eyes from our wardrobes and consider how we all live, we can notice great societal shifts over time. The fact that the attitudes and habits of our parents’ generation now seem comparatively dated is not necessarily a negative reflection on them. It […]
Read morePublished on 08 November, 2024 | Hall Brown Family Law
Hall Brown Family Law has described its latest clean sweep of all four of the annual legal rankings as testimony to its continued ability to recruit and develop some of the country’s top legal talent. In repeating its success of last year, Hall Brown has become the only specialist family practice based in the North […]
Read morePublished on 05 November, 2024 | Emma Dewhurst
Regular readers of the Hall Brown ‘blog will have noticed that certain themes tend to feature on a repeated basis over time. That reflects the casework which we handle as much as changes in the law and significant judgments. One topic which continues to generate all three is surrogacy. The fact that it is regarded […]
Read morePublished on 23 October, 2024 | Emma Hubbard
Almost exactly two years ago, the President of the Family Division of the High Court, Sir Andrew McFarlane, gave a speech in which he described that contested children proceedings “should be the option of last resort” (https://www.judiciary.uk/speech-by-the-president-of-the-family-division-when-families-fall-apart-do-they-fall-too-easily-into-court/). He added that the family court “must, in most normal cases, presume that it is in the child’s […]
Read morePublished on 22 October, 2024 | Madelaine Hailey
Wouldn’t it be nice to know what the future holds? We could order our lives with a little more certainty and avoid those things which aren’t so pleasant. Yet not being able to predict what’s around the corner means that we have to make plans designed to protect ourselves and those closest to us. It’s […]
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