Family Law

Professor Chris Barton, Vice President, Family Mediators' Association. This year's meeting was held in September 2005 at the Royal Courts of Justice. This article summarises the events of the day including a paper by Professor Gwynn Davis outlining his views on the present standing of mediation, a lecture by Rebecca Probert of Warwick University on common law marriage and a presentation on the Family Justice Council by Vicky Leach, the mediator member of the Family Justice Council. Lamorna Wooderson, regional director of CAFCASS, reported some encouraging developments including the number of publicly funded mediations. Lynn Chesterman, Chief Executive of the Grandparents' Association, celebrated relationships between grandparents and grandchildren while reviewing the downsides. David Allison concentrated his paper and discussion on the likely outcomes when some of the marriage-like registrations under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 end in failure. Ruth Smallacombe's documentation for her workshop contained a review of the key features of collaborative law. The day culminated in an address from the President of the Family Mediators' association, Sir Nicholas Wilson. See December [2005] Fam Law 991 for the full article.

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