Members of the family finance team wish to remind solicitors and clients alike that we are still available as counsel to conduct private FDR hearings, a practice which is now encouraged by Mostyn J and one which appeared within Sir Andrew McFarlane’s Covid 19 guidance for the family courts. A private FDR hearing is a… Read more »
Chambers are very proud to be able to congratulate Kate Donohue and Anna White for their successful delivery, of our first remote seminar during lockdown on “Parental Alienation”. Rehana Begum, Head of the Family Department commented: “Personally I particularly enjoyed the interactive “chat element” which allowed for questions to be posted during the talk and then answered… Read more »
COVID-19 AND THE MANCHESTER CROWN COURTS – WEATHERING THE STORM MARCH 2020 On 24/3/20 all members of the Northern Circuit received an unprecedented directive: Do Not Go To Court. That message was replicated on all other circuits. It was without limit of time. Following overnight liaison with the Lord Chief Justice the representative bodies of… Read more »
In response to the current pandemic and the need to avoid the necessity for parties to attend court in person, a Temporary Insolvency Practice Direction (“TIPD”) has been drafted and came into force on 6 April 2020. John Vickery and Victoria Roberts discuss… Subject to any amendment or revocation in the meantime, the TIPD will… Read more »
In Promontoria v Hancock (2020) where Victoria Roberts acted on behalf of a defendant, HHJ Hodge QC (sitting as Judge of the High Court) decided whether a Pre Trial Review and three other applications could be determined in light of the recent practice direction (PD 51Z) issued as a result of the current pandemic. HHJ… Read more »
Lucy Coulson looks at the challenges practitioners face in preparing for video trials and practical steps that can be taken to maximise the effectiveness of any hearings. Litigation has entered a new era with courts up and down the country considering how best to proceed with trials that have all but come to a halt… Read more »
Oliver Caplan considers the impact that the current situation is having on housing and real estate litigation. Over the last month we, as a society, have been required to embrace a new way of approaching our professional and social lives. Litigators have had to adapt and evolve at a light speed to ensure the wheels… Read more »
David Hoffman considers the impact that the current situation is having on business and property law. A great deal has changed in the past few weeks. All of a sudden, the Courts are having to adapt to a complete move away from hearings in person. This newsletter sets out how this may apply to general… Read more »
Sarah Wait considers some important urgent and non urgent changes to the CPR, including extensions of time and statements of truth. Amidst the changes we are all making to the way we work during these challenging times, there have also been some recent key updates to the CPR in relation to extensions of time, statements… Read more »
Stephen Killalea QC and Kane Simons recently had the High Court approve the multi-million pound settlement of a brain injury case. Stephen Killalea QC and Kane Simons recently had the High Court approve a settlement of a brain injury case for a man in his mid-fifties for a lump sum of £2,650,000 and a PPO… Read more »
A letter from our Head of Chambers, Richard Chapman QC. We are here for you. Dear All, I hope you, your colleagues and your families are well. These are extraordinary times. There is a simple message which I would like to communicate to all our clients. We are here for you. This takes three key… Read more »