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09 September 2010 / David Allison
Issue: 7432 / Categories: Features , Family
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Rhetoric, reviews & reality

David Allison berates the uneasy alliance of family politics & law

When I was elected as Resolution chairman in March the political parties were fighting to be elected. In my speech to the Resolution national conference I warned then that political parties offered “puff rather than progress” and failed to engage with the reality of family life in the UK.

Six months on, and with Cameron and Clegg at the helm of a coalition government that few had predicted, the rhetoric around family law remains far removed from the reality for families facing the consequences of severe and far-reaching cuts. Meanwhile the family law profession is grappling with a series of government reviews which promise to fundamentally alter the system in which justice is done.

Let me start with the rhetoric. We have been told that “strong and stable families are the bedrock of a strong and stable society”, a taskforce has been set up by the prime minister to put “strong, stable and loving families at the heart of British life”, and

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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