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25 July 2025 / Jennifer Headon
Issue: 8126 / Categories: Features , Profession , Family , Legal services , ADR , Divorce
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A quiet revolution?

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Family law is shifting towards a calmer & more constructive approach to solving conflicts, writes Jennifer Headon
  • Family law is moving away from aggressive, lengthy correspondence toward more constructive, empathetic communication to reduce conflict and improve outcomes.
  • Changes such as no-fault divorce, mandatory consideration of non-court dispute resolution, and the ‘One Couple, One Lawyer’ model are reshaping how family disputes are resolved, emphasising cooperation over confrontation.
  • There’s growing emphasis on mental health, co-parenting, transparency, and judicial scrutiny of legal costs, all aimed at reducing harm and promoting dignity in family law proceedings.

Something has changed in the inboxes of family law practitioners recently. Gone are the long-winded letters that, at best, set out complex legal arguments in excessive detail and, at worst, were unedited regurgitations of a client’s instructions—often allowing abusive spouses to continue a ‘lawful’ campaign of harassment. While such correspondence still exists, it has thankfully become rare.

In a time when personal telephone calls are increasingly infrequent, the humble telephone has re-emerged as a

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys further bolsters Private Equity expertise with the appointment of James Paterson

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons strengthens Rural Affairs team with senior appointment

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley adds insurance mergers and acquisitions partner to London office

NEWS
A deputy costs judge correctly exercised his discretion to allow late service rather than strike out the point of dispute, the Court of Appeal has held
Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and five others have lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, in Various Claimants v Associated Newspapers [2026] EWHC 1637 (KB)
Public confidence in the justice system is being undermined by a lack of accessible, useable data, magistrates have warned
The Sentencing Council has launched draft guidelines for facilitation and endangering another person during a sea crossing to the UK
Government proposals to make independent written legal advice a prerequisite for workplace non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) may prove unworkable, according to a senior employment lawyer
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