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17 April 2026 / Caroline Bowden
Issue: 8157 / Categories: Features , Family , Child law , Divorce
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Hearing children’s voices

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Caroline Bowden on a new report that calls for a rethink of family law practice
  • According to a new report, families and practitioners believe the system must change to better protect children and reduce the harmful effects of parental conflict.

A major new report on the future of family law practice has just been published. It calls for a fundamental shift in how professionals support families going through separation, placing children’s welfare firmly at the centre of the process and moving away from avoidable adversarial approaches that can intensify conflict.

Launched by the Family Solutions Group at Kingsley Napley on 12 March, ‘Putting children first: the evolving role of the family law professional’ brings together the results of a wide-ranging consultation with nearly 550 professionals and parents, alongside interviews with almost 50 central figures working across the family justice and support sectors. The key authors, Charlotte Bradley and Edward Cooke, are both solicitors with many years’ experience of working within the family law field, who drew together an experienced

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley strengthens family law team

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Construction lawyer returns to Ward Hadaway in Teesside role

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird Bird hires leading legal transformation expert

NEWS
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
Can a meticulously maintained spreadsheet turn a couple’s informal financial arrangements into legally enforceable obligations? 
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