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06 September 2024 / David Burrows
Issue: 8084 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Family , Child law
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My three wishes for the new Labour Lord Chancellor

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Family law procedure from the genie’s bottle. In the first of two articles, David Burrows calls for change
  • Sets out author’s recommendations for changes to family procedure rules.
  • The first part of this short series covers the author’s call for Parkinson’s law to be applied to family proceedings and for an overhaul of procedure in children’s cases.
  • A second article will cover the author’s recommendation for Amicus-like help for family judges.

Were the new Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood KC MP, to appear before me as if a genie from a bottle, and offer me three wishes, what would I ask for in terms of family law procedural reform? I take as read that any Labour government would want to overhaul our broken legal aid system, so I will move on from that.

My list concentrates on case management and more effective use of judges’ time, and recalls the dire state of procedural law for mature children involved in court proceedings. All of this must be

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

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A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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