This is really heart-breaking. It speaks powerfully to the need for barristers in all practice areas, but perhaps especially in crime (and, dare I say it, public law children), to look after themselves and each other if they are also to protect the justice system(s) they work in.

I’m very excited to be able to announce that, in addition to my long-standing tenancy at @stiveschambers in Birmingham, I am taking up a door tenancy at @29BedfordRow in London and so I am now able to accept instructions via two oustanding sets.

"If ever there were any doubts as to the importance of the FDR appointment and the parties’ attendance at one, then Mr Justice Peel has unequivocally put those doubts to rest in his judgment in GH v GH [2024] EWFC 272" Read more: https://t.co/9qOMKj2aEh

ADR grumbles aside, I am of course delighted to have retained my tier / band one ranking in both legal directories. Many thanks to @thelegal500 and @ChambersGuides, to all who took the time to say nice things about me and to my colleagues at @StIvesFamily.

An earnest plea to @thelegal500 and @ChambersGuides. Please improve your coverage of barristers undertaking family ADR outside London next year. Having only London rankings or “all circuits” rankings with only London barristers in them does not reflect this key market nationwide.

I had the privilege of contributing to the discussions which fed into this ground-breaking and thought-provoking report from @ResFamilyLaw and of attending its launch this evening. I strongly encourage all who do FR work to read and consider it carefully.

I’m most grateful to the @fr_journal for publishing yet more of my musings on their blog today - an article produced in conjunction with @gifford_head concerning the interesting and important TLATA case Re Cynberg.

I enjoyed working with my @StIvesFamily colleague @Charmian2016 on this piece, published today on the @fr_journal blog:

NCDR Redux: The Impact of October’s CPR Amendments ⁦@nicholasallen29⁩ ⁦@RhysTaylor32⁩

Domestic abuse, s.25(2)(g) conduct and FR case management are very hot topics at present. I’ll be speaking about them at our @StIvesFamily seminar in November. This @fr_journal blog by @SamHillas, @OliviaPiercy2 and Anita Mehta is well worth reading now. https://t.co/Un2NSJ9wgq

Speaking on the same bill as the Chair of the Bar, the Lady Chief Justice, Lord Neuberger and so many other luminaries was somewhat daunting, but I really enjoyed my day at @thebarcouncil #BarConf2024 and the panel discussion with @SpenserH about ADR today.

Today was the final day of my family mediation foundation training course with @ResFamilyLaw. The training and the trainers were first class. I would highly recommend the course to anyone considering training as a family mediator. I’m astonished at how much I learned.

I am really looking forward to attending, and speaking about ADR at, #BarConf24 this Saturday.

I hope those who watched last night’s #itvdebate have also been watching, listening to and/or reading some high quality commentary on it this morning. @BBCr4today and @BBCMoreOrLess improved my understanding of the PM’s “£2,000 Labour tax increase” claim immeasurably.

We are committed to promoting diversity in the legal sector and encouraging underrepresented candidates to pursue a career at the bar. We are excited to announce our 2024 Scholarship Scheme, particularly focusing on such applicants. https://t.co/ANE4HGy5h5

More musings from @nicholasallen29 and I published on the @fr_journal blog, not on the subject of NCDR for once. https://t.co/rsaGwWGMwi

Revised Financial Remedy Pre-Action Protocol ⁦@michael_allum⁩ ⁦@RhysTaylor32⁩

Taken together with the recent changes to FPR, Part 3, and the decisions in X v Y, NA v LA and Churchill, its introduction seems to me to suggest that perhaps NCDR might soon become the expected norm and litigation the “alternative”, rather than vice versa

I am immensely proud to have played a very small part in its creation.

This new pre-action protocol applies, with immediate effect, to all financial remedy proceedings. It differs quite significantly from the previous version, and reflects an important shift in expectations re. the pre-action conduct of lawyers and parties: https://t.co/oqII9GPHHK