Family Law & Lattes

In today’s episode Melanie Bataillard-Samuel is joined by a Family Law & Lattes alumni, Graeme Fraser, Partner and Head of Family at BBS Law in London.

Graeme has considerable experience in advising on financial settlements involving complex assets and substantial wealth, and on cohabitation, for which he holds the Resolution specialist accreditation.

Graeme is a regular media commentator including the BBC and national media. He is a member of the Family Procedure Rule Committee (FPRC) and sits on Resolution’s Family Law Reform Group. In 2018, he won the Family Law Commentator of the year award, voted for by the family law community in recognition of his published work highlighting the plight of unmarried couples. He chairs Resolution’s Cohabitation Committee and belongs to the Law Society Family Accreditation Scheme. In September 2023 he won Resolution’s inaugural Member’s Choice Award recognising his trailblazing work in cohabitation practice and policy.

In this episode they’ll be taking advantage of Graeme’s knowledge and work with the FPRC and Resolution’s Family Law Reform Committee to talk about NCDR, what it is, and why we need to talk about.

In this episode Melanie is joined by a Family Law & Lattes alumni, Graeme Fraser, Partner and Head of Family at BBS Law in London.

During the pandemic many family law specialists found themselves with time to look at their lives, careers, and ultimately consider the changing landscape of family law. Over the last few years Graeme has written several thought provoking articles looking at the changes. Today I’ll be picking his brains about what he thinks are the topics to consider.

Graeme has considerable experience in advising on financial settlements involving complex assets and substantial wealth, and on cohabitation, for which he holds the Resolution specialist accreditation.

Graeme is well-known in the legal community and beyond not simply as an experienced specialist family lawyer, but also as a commentator, writer and trainer. He is a regular media commentator including the BBC and national media. Graeme is a consultant editor and author for LexisPSL Family on cohabitation. Additionally, he is the editor of Resolution’s Cohabitation Claims (second edition) (2019) and one of the authors of Resolution’s The Modern Family (2012). In 2018, he won the Family Law Commentator of the year award, voted for by the family law community in recognition of his published work highlighting the plight of unmarried couples.

Today Melanie Bataillard-Samuel is joined by Angharad Lynn, a partner in the private client team in the London offices of VWV.

Angharad is experienced at drafting Wills, administering Estates and also advises on trusts, inheritance tax planning and Lasting Powers of Attorney. She specialises in international work and cross-border estates (in particular France!) and speaks French, Italian and Welsh.

Before training as a solicitor Angharad was a national newspaper journalist specialising in personal finance, and her knowledge in this area provides a useful background to her current role. She enjoys writing on legal matters and has contributed to publications including the Mail on Sunday and the Spectator. She has also appeared on BBC Radio.

In this episode Angharad and I will be looking at the differences between English and French private client law, what pitfalls might appear and, most relevant for us family lawyers, what we need to be aware of.

Today Melanie is joined by Ian McArdle, a family law barrister at Atlantic Chambers in Liverpool and Magdalen Chambers in Exeter.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Ian was a solicitor practising in all aspects of criminal law and children law. Admitted to the Roll in 2010 and being a member of the Law Society Children Panel since 2013, Ian practised in Liverpool before moving to North Devon in 2014 where he worked in a niche, award-winning practice specialising in all aspects of children law, with a particular focus on complex cases in which he represented local authorities, parents, children and other family members. A keen advocate, Ian acquired his Higher Rights of Audience in 2015.

Alongside his practice at the Bar, Ian is currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate in which he is researching the issue of parental alienation in the family justice system. Ian has written on the topic, with articles for Family Law Week and the Magistrates Association as well as delivered training for national training organisations.

Which is handy since today we are talking about parental alienation and in particular the widely anticipated judgement handed down last February by the President in the case of Re C on the issue of the instruction of experts in proceedings where there is an allegation of parental alienation. The particular focus of this judgment is not on the issue of parental alienation itself but rather for the Court to consider the instruction of unregulated psychologists as experts in the Family Court in general.

In today's episode Melanie Bataillard-Samuel of MBS Family Law is joined by Steven Bradley, cybersecurity expert with Our Family Wizard. Steven had an extensive law enforcement career focusing on investigating crimes against persons, specialising in sex crimes, child abuse, domestic violence, and crimes against the elderly in the United States. He was recruited by the FBI to start a task force that would investigate technology and cyber-related crimes. After returning from the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, he began combating many types of technology crimes including child pornography, cyberstalking, financial exploitation, and apprehending child predators.

Now as part of the OurFamilyWizard professional team, Steven further promotes the empowerment and healthy communication between separated and divorced parents via technology. Steven is nationally recognised as an expert on law enforcement’s response to intimate partner violence, abuse of the elderly, and stalking/cyberstalking.

In today's episode Melanie Bataillard-Samuel of MBS Family Law is joined by Zoe Fleetwood of Mills & Reeves.  Zoe is a highly experienced children lawyer and heads Mills & Reeves’ children law team.  Well-known for handling complex cases, Zoe’s experience includes child abduction, wardship, care proceedings, surrogacy, adoption and forced marriage, as well as disputes involving allegations of abuse. Zoë’s cases often have an international dimension.

In this episode Melanie and Zoe discuss a topic that is being raised more and more in family law – Parental Alienation.

In today's episode Melanie Bataillard-Samuel of MBS Family Law is joined by Gillian Bishop. Gillian is family law solicitor, she's a trained collaborative lawyer, children's law arbitrator, mediator and family law supervisor. She's also a lawyer at Family Law in Partnership of which she is a founding member. Gillian for many year chaired resolution's skills and support committee.

In this episode Melanie and Gillian will be discussing family law supervision.

In this Christmas Special we've decided to flip the script. James Evans of Our Family Wizard will be hosting a very special guest, Melanie Bataillard-Samuel.

In today's episode Melanie Bataillard-Samuel of MBS Family Law is joined by Matthew Richardson of Coram Chambers. Matt is a barrister and a mediator. As a barrister he specialises in financial remedy and family property cases including divorce, the separation of unmarried people, the interests of wider family members (TOLATA), and financial support for children (Schedule 1).

As a mediator, specialises in family disputes across all areas of family law, including but not limited to family finances, the arrangements for co-parenting children, and the involvement of wider family members relating both to finances and children.

In this episode Matt will be providing us with a reminder of the things we should be considering when dealing with pensions in a financial remedy context.

In today's episode Melanie Is joined by Graeme Fraser, Partner and Head of Family at BBS Law. Graeme has considerable experience in advising on financial settlements involving complex assets and substantial wealth, and on cohabitation, for which he holds the Resolution specialist accreditation.

He maintains a keen interest in the legal rights of unmarried parents, and is chair of Resolution’s Cohabitation Committee, which has an agenda to reform cohabitation.  He is a consultant editor and author for LexisPSL Family on cohabitation. Additionally, he is the editor of Resolution’s Cohabitation Claims (second edition) (2019) and one of the authors of  Resolution’s The Modern Family (2012)Graeme. 

I have asked Graeme to come onto the podcast to discuss cohabitation law in England and Wales, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee report, the Government’s reaction to the report and what happens next…

In today's episode Melanie is joined by Peter Burgess, family law solicitor, mediator and one of the founding partners of Burgess Mee in London.  Pete's practice encompasses all aspects of high net worth family law – from prenuptial agreements to trusts, and private children matters to capacity issues.

In this episode Pete and Melanie focus on the complex subject of international relocation for children. Post Brexit and Covid many international families are finding themselves between two jurisdictions with one parent relocating whilst the other cannot or does not want to leave England.  Together they discuss the problems lawyers often face running such cases and what their clients can do to prepare.

Before the summer Melanie had the pleasure of interviewing the Co-Chairs of Resolution’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee – Remyhs Baker and Yanoulla Kakoulli.

Our regular listeners will remember Remyhs from previous episodes.  Remyhs is an associate Solicitor at Pinney Talfourd specialising in dealing with financial provision, private children matters, divorce, grandparent/family applications for contact as well as domestic abuse work, including obtaining injunctions.

Yanoulla is a senior solicitor with Judge & Priestly specialising in all issues relating to children work including relocation cases, specific issue orders and contact and residence disputes. She also advises and acts on a variety of Family Law matters relating to divorce and finances work.

In this episode Melanie discusses EDI, what it is, why it’s important both our family law practices and our clients and what we should know.  We cover only a small part of the work Resolution’s EDI Committee are doing so don’t hesitate to contact Melanie, Remyhs, Yanoulla or Resolution if you want to know more.

We’re back for Season 2 of Family Law & Lattes!

The first guest of this new season is family law barrister and commentator Lucy Reed of 36 Family in London and St John’s Chambers in Bristol. Lucy is very active in the family law community as a speaker, trainer, member of various committees and Chair of the Transparency Project.  Which is handy since Lucy and I will be discussing the hot topic of transparency in family justice in this episode.

‘Transparency’ is a term that has cropped up with increasing frequency recently, culminating with a recent review from which the family courts will be implementing recommendations.  So what is it, what are the courts trying to do and what do we, as practitioners, need to be aware of….?

Today Melanie is joined by Jo O’Sullivan, Bob Grieg and Rebecca Giraud.  Bob & Rebecca run Only Mums & Dads, the national online support and signposting service for parents who are going through or have ben through separation / divorce.  The best introduction to Jo is from her Twitter profile - Peacemaking family lawyer accredited mediator nationally recognised collaborative practitioner.

Together we discuss their latest collaboration, a wonderful new book aimed at helping separating/divorcing parents gain an understanding of the different types of 3rd party help that is available to support them during the separation/divorce process.  As their introduction says, “for some parents, court is an essential intervention: for many it is not.”.

In today's episode Melanie is joined by Mary Marvel, Head of Communications and Deputy CEO of Law for Life, a charity dedicated to ensuring everyone has the knowledge, skills and confidence that they need to secure access to justice.  LFL run the award winning Advicenow website, deliver community-based training and other educational programmes and engage in research and policy.

Together we're discssing the 'Affordable Advice Service', a joint project run by Resolution and Law for Life that aims to help litigants-in-person who need help with financial or children matters after a divorce by offering people a blend of guidance from Law for Life’s Advicenow website, coupled with legal advice from Resolution family lawyers when they need it most. It is aimed at those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford legal advice, and in the current extraordinary circumstances facing the country, family lawyers may wish to signpost the service to those they are unable to help directly themselves.