News & Events: Children Law (Public)
Coronavirus: The view from the bench
Edward Boydell of Pump Court Chambers sits down with District Judge Hudd of the Central Family Court to discuss how coronavirus has affected the judiciary and the running of First Avenue House. District Judge Hudd offers some fascinating insights into how the court has operated and how some changes may well be sustained beyond the […]
Costs against the legally aided litigant
Tara Lyons hosts Mark Ablett to discuss the position generally on costs in Children Act proceedings. The pod goes on to explore how one might get an order that the Lord Chancellor pays a costs order in lieu of the litigant with legal aid and the thorny issue of how and when costs protection applies. […]
ThoughtLeaders4 HNW Divorce: The Legal Implications of Donor Insemination
From single-parent families to “blended” or extended family units, whether they be same-sex parents or opposite-sex parents, the concept of the “nuclear family” has become less prevalent, and less apt, to describe modern families in the 21st century. Today’s modern family structures include those where children are created through assisted reproductive technologies and encompass sperm/ […]
Hilary Lennox joins Pump Court Chambers
We are delighted to announce that Hilary Lennox has joined Pump Court Chambers, with immediate effect. A highly experienced practitioner across three jurisdictions, Hilary was called to the Bar in Ireland in 2008, Northern Ireland in 2013 and England & Wales in 2013. She has worked in a law firm in New York and the […]
Special advocates in Family Proceedings
Paul Mertens joins Mark Ablett to talk about special advocates in family proceedings, closed material procedures and how the courts attempt a fair outcome where parties are not able to view sensitive material, such as in care proceedings with a radicalisation element. To download please click here.
Re Y (Children in Care: Change of Nationality) [2020] EWCA Civ 1038
Re Y (Children in Care: Change of Nationality) [2020] EWCA Civ 1038 Exercise of parental responsibility by Local Authorities – Scope of decision making relating to the child’s national identity Through its judgment in Re Y (Children in Care: Change of Nationality), the Court of Appeal sends out a clear message that where a local […]
Henry Hawkesworth joins Pump Court
Pump Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Henry Hawkesworth has joined Pump Court Chambers after successful completion of his third six pupillage following a period as a tenant in a leading set of common law chambers in the North East of England. Called to the Bar in 2018, he has developed a mixed common […]
Parental Alienation Update: BC/PC – Webinar
This webinar will consider the practical consequences of parenting in a pandemic, the President of the Family Division’s Guidance on compliance with Child Arrangement Orders and a review of the recent case law on parental alienation, including the options available to practitioners. Speaker: Andrew Grime Cost: Free Topics covered: Parenting in a Pandemic: Coronovirus Crisis: […]
Domestic abuse during Covid-19 times
Domestic abuse was a problem already in urgent need of addressing pre-pandemic. The global crisis we are now experiencing has only worsened that issue. Widely-reported statistics include: Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline has seen a consistent increase in demand of 50% since lockdown measures announced (4th May press release) Traffic to many prominent domestic abuse […]
Remote hearings and witness evidence
Remote hearings come with particular difficulties. One obvious difficulty is that the parties cannot see each other as well as they might in the courtroom. But how much of a problem is this? If the demeanour of witnesses (or indeed parties) is relevant to an issue to be decided by the Court, then restrictions on […]
Family Team: ADR and Remote Access offerings
Pump Court Chambers is committed to providing clients with high levels of service and support. By investment and use of modern technology and systems, we are fully equipped to deal with the current situation in these trying times. Technology We offer state of the art technology in the form of the Lifesize system (with integrated […]
Contact and the Coronavirus: COVID-19 and its Impact on Separated Families
About 7 ½ weeks after the first reported coronavirus case in the UK, and after some 6,000 confirmed cases, the Prime Minister addressed the nation confirming that in an attempt to halt the spread of the worldwide pandemic the public were being told to stay at home in order to stop the disease spreading. He […]