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NLJ this week: Divorce disputes surge amid economic strain & court chaos

18 July 2025
Issue: 8125 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Divorce , ADR , Legal aid focus
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James Maguire of Maguire Family Law explores the sharp rise in contested financial remedy orders—the highest in 15 years—in this week's issue of NLJ

He attributes this to economic volatility, court delays, and the soaring cost of divorce, now £603. Many clients are investing more to secure fair settlements, while others cut corners, risking long-term financial insecurity. Delays in pension reporting and court backlogs, worsened by legal aid cuts, are fuelling uncertainty.

A two-tier system is emerging, with wealthier parties opting for private arbitration. The recent Supreme Court ruling in Standish v Standish offers guidance on pre-marital assets but also highlights the growing relevance of compensation arguments and nuptial agreements.

Maguire warns that systemic issues—high fees, limited legal aid, and court closures—are trapping people in unhappy marriages. While AI may offer future efficiencies, it cannot replace sound legal advice.

Issue: 8125 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Divorce , ADR , Legal aid focus
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Mourant—Stephen Alexander

Mourant—Stephen Alexander

Jersey litigation lead appointed to global STEP Council

mfg Solicitors—nine trainees

mfg Solicitors—nine trainees

Firm invests in future talent with new training cohort

360 Law Group—Anthony Gahan

360 Law Group—Anthony Gahan

Investment banking veteran appointed as chairman to drive global growth

NEWS
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
Bea Rossetto of the National Pro Bono Centre makes the case for ‘General Practice Pro Bono’—using core legal skills to deliver life-changing support, without the need for niche expertise—in this week's NLJ
In this week's NLJ, Steven Ball of Red Lion Chambers unpacks how advances in forensic science finally unmasked Ryland Headley, jailed in 2025 for the 1967 rape and murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne. Preserved swabs and palm prints lay dormant for decades until DNA-17 profiling produced a billion-to-one match
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
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