Concerns over restricting the length of child care proceedings to six months have not materialised, says senior family barrister Tim Parker, of 9 Gough Square. Fears of insufficient expert evidence and adherence to procedure trumping justice have not borne out since the new timescale was introduced in July 2013, and the Public Law Outline (PLO) has so far achieved its objective. Parker, who recently published a book on the PLO, said the new regime had introduced a “vigour” that did not exist 18 months ago, although judges and practitioners need to “stay vigilant”.
05 February 2015
New timetable for care proceedings a success?
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group
From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career
Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore
Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton
Ellisons—Robert Tiffen
Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office
NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
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.
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
