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11 October 2022
Issue: 7998 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Procedure & practice , Divorce
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One lawyer, two clients for family cases

A ‘one lawyer, two clients’ model for family law cases has been launched by family law organisation, Resolution, with the backing of the president of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane.

Resolution launched its Resolution Together model last week, at its family practice conference in Nottingham. The model works by allowing one lawyer to provide advice to a separating couple, including through a divorce or separation. Its development follows the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 which allows couples, for the first time, to make joint applications to end a marriage collectively.

Sir Andrew told the conference that a move to the model was ‘key’ and emphasised a shift in language was required as part of a culture change away from the notion of ‘going to court to fight it out’.

Resolution chair Juliet Harvey said the model was ‘another approach that will help minimise conflict between separating families’.

Harvey also highlighted the ‘desperate state’ of the ‘underfunded and understaffed’ family courts, with ‘increasing delays and backlogs’.

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NEWS
A wave of housing and procedural reforms is set to test the limits of tribunal capacity. In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold charts sweeping change as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 begins biting
Plans to reduce jury trials risk missing the real problem in the criminal justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, David Wolchover of Ridgeway Chambers argues the crown court backlog is fuelled not by juries but weak cases slipping through a flawed ‘50%’ prosecution test
Emerging technologies may soon transform how courts determine truth in deeply personal disputes. In this week's NLJ, Madhavi Kabra of 1 Hare Court and Harry Lambert of Outer Temple Chambers explore how neurotechnology could reshape family law
A controversial protest case has reignited debate over the limits of free expression. In NLJ this week, Nicholas Dobson examines a Quran-burning incident testing public order law
The courts have drawn a firm line under attempts to extend arbitration appeals. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed of the University of Leicester highlights that if the High Court refuses permission under s 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996, that is the end
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