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NLJ this week: Private FDRs & other ways to kick the combat out of divorce

29 March 2024
Issue: 8065 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Family , Divorce , Mediation
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A range of options are available for separating couples wishing to iron out their disputes without going head-to-head in court. In this week’s NLJ, Joanna Newton explores what’s available and sets out the pros, cons and quirks of each

Newton, partner at Stowe Family Law, writes: ‘Family lawyers are seeing a marked reduction in the number of couples going to final hearing, instead choosing more cost-effective, less acrimonious routes to getting a consent order in place.

‘In 2018, 14% of finance cases went to a final hearing. By 2023, this had fallen to around 3%.’

In an article packed full of information and practical advice, the author looks at FDR (financial dispute resolution) hearings, private FDR, mediation, collaborative divorce and arbitration.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
A Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruling has reopened debate on the availability of ‘user damages’ in competition claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Edward Nyman of Hausfeld explains how the CAT allowed Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen’s alternative damages case against Meta to proceed, rejecting arguments that such damages are barred in competition law
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