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NLJ this week: Putting children first

24 November 2023
Issue: 8050 / Categories: Legal News , Family , In Court
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‘More than 80,000 children are presently caught up in Children Act 1989, Pt 2 proceedings, according to court statistics,’ writes David Burrows, NLJ columnist and family law solicitor-advocate

In this week’s NLJ, he raises concerns about various aspects of the workings of the 1989 Act, including listing delays and delays generally.

He asks what is meant by a ‘reasonable time’, and highlights the statutory presumption that delay is likely to prejudice a child’s welfare. While a target of 26 weeks has been set for local authority and care proceedings, however, the same time imperative does not apply to private law family cases.

Burrows writes: ‘All parties concerned with CA 1989 must surely get away from the destructive designation of two separate sets of legal principle according to “private” or “public” law, and both terms in this context should be outlawed. No distinction was intended by CA 1989.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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