A Practical Guide to Advocacy in Family Proceedings

Book excerpt: 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 handbook provides assistance for the newcomer to the Family Law Court Room as well as a resource for more experienced practitioners. Subjects covered include: Getting started as a Family Advocate Types of Court applications and hearings Pre-proceedings Preparation for Court hearings The Court hearing itself Fact Finding hearings Experts Cafcass and Local Authority Reports Court Bundles Litigants in Person & McKenzie Friends Position Statements & Skeleton Arguments Drafting Court Orders Appeals Enforcement of Court Orders ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stuart Barlow is a Solicitor who has practised Family Law for over 40 years. He conducts most of his own advocacy. 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 three other published Law books.