A Practical Guide to Advocacy in Family Proceedings – Second Edition

Advocacy in the family court has a style of its own. Yet there is little training or instruction for the lawyer who has a heart to practise in this area. This handbook provides assistance for the newcomer to the Family Law court room. It puts together in one place useful information needed to conduct advocacy in the main areas of family law including divorce, financial applications, private and public children, injunctions and cohabitation claims. This second edition not only only provides assistance for the newcomer to the Family Law Court Room but the additional chapters make it a reference book for experienced family practitioners conducting cases on a regular basis. Subjects covered include: Why We Should Undertake Our Own Advocacy Getting Started as a Family Court Advocate Types of Tribunal Hearings and the Family Court Advocate Pre-Proceedings When You Arrive at Court Preparation for the Court Hearing Ten Basic Tips When Attending Court Family Court Hearings The Court Hearing Itself Remote Court Hearings Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Recent Changes Divorce Proceedings Financial Applications Following Divorce Private Children Applications Public Law Children Applications Domestic Abuse Injunctions Other Family Proceedings Fact Finding hearings Qualified Legal Representatives (QLR) Experts Cafcass and Local Authority Reports Court Bundles Litigants in Person and McKenzie Friends Position Statements and Skeleton Arguments Evidence on Oath Drafting Court Orders Appeals Enforcement Hearings Common Types of Family Court Orders Funding a Family Law Case Costs in Family Proceedings Drafting Applications and Statements Instructing Counsel Reporting in Family Courts Thirty-Three Common Questions ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stuart Barlow is a Solicitor who has practised Family Law for over 40 years. He conducts most of his own advocacy and is a court appointed Qualified Legal Representative (QLR). Stuart is a member of the Law Society Children Panel, a former Chief Assessor of the Law Society Family Law Accreditation Scheme and adjudicator for the Legal Aid Agency. He presents training courses for family lawyers throughout England and Wales and is the author of four other published Law books. REVIEWS OF THE FIRST EDITION 'This book ... makes our lives much easier in one of the most highly charged and emotional areas of legal practice for practitioners and lay clients.' – Phillip Taylor MBE, video review