header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us

Forward thinking

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.
03 February 2012 / Geraldine Morris
Issue: 7499 / Categories: Features , Child law , Family
printer mail-detail

Family lawyers must adapt to survive in the year ahead, says Geraldine Morris

Last year was a challenging year for family lawyers and in 2012 there are many more challenges ahead. This may be the year that the practice of family law changes beyond all recognition and lawyers who do not adapt may not survive in a climate of new competition and the continuing economic downturn.

Cuts

With the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) looking to make inroads into the £2bn of savings it must make overall, 40% of courts have or will be closed and staff levels slashed with an estimated 15,000 jobs lost—one third of the total staff employed by the MoJ. Combined with the anticipated cuts to legal aid as a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (currently slowly navigating its way through Parliament), the challenge will be how to tackle a much reduced court service burdened with increasing numbers of litigants in person.

ADR

The Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), which came

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Big tech for small firms
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
NLJ this week: Presumption of capacity reaffirmed
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
NLJ this week: Justice delayed, justice denied
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
NLJ this week: The road ahead for employment rights
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
NLJ this week: SLAPPed shut?
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll