FLBA/Jordan Publishing Bracewell Essay Competition

The Family Law Bar Association's 2008 National Conference took place on Saturday 29 November at the Said Business School in Oxford. At the conference the winner of the 2008 Bracewell Essay Competition was announced.

Last year the Family Law Bar Association set up an essay prize open to members of the association of less than six years call in memory of Dame Joyanne Bracewell DBE who died on 9 January 2007. Dame Joyanne was described by the President of the Family Division, Sir Mark Potter, as "universally admired and respected for the quality of her decisions and the fairness, humanity and extreme care which she invariably displayed in reaching them". She was always ready to help young members of the Bar and took great pleasure in encouraging and supporting their progress.

This year Jordan Publishing was delighted to become co-sponsors of the prize.

The competition was adjudicated by the Right Honourable Lord Justice Wilson and Professor Hugh Bevan.

This year's winning entry was written by Samantha Singer of Queen Elizabeth Building. Her winning essay was entitled 'What provision should the law make for unmarried couples when their relationship breaks down?', and was selected ahead of twelve other entries.

Samantha was called to the Bar in 2004 having obtained First Class Honours in Law at the University of Bristol. Samantha practices in all areas of family law with particular emphasis on ancillary relief and private child law. She has conducted a number of cases in the High Court and regularly appears in high value ancillary relief cases as a junior.

Samantha co-edited the collected papers of the 2007 Interdisciplinary Conference at Dartington Hall, Integrating Diversity, published by Family Law.

To download a copy of Samantha's essay click here