United Kingdom

The largest regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales recently published a report examining the potential of unbundled legal services to improve access to justice, citing benefits to lawyers and their clients.

As America continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, some lawyers are noting an increase in divorce cases. Courts should be prepared to deal with these cases as quickly and efficiently as possible—and something that could aid their efforts is technology.

Earlier this month, the Civil Justice Council in England and Wales published a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on civil court users. The report includes results from the council's rapid review of remote hearings, which was conducted to assess what is and isn’t working, as well as how to best move forward.

The Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation has published its final report, which is designed to assist the government in assessing the current regulatory framework for legal services in England and Wales and contribute to the momentum around new frameworks for regulation.

Divorce proceedings are getting a digital makeover in the United Kingdom as Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) prepares to move all divorce applications online.

A new report conducted by Ecorys UK, Experiences of consumers who may be vulnerable in family law, explores the impacts of personal and situational vulnerabilities for people seeking legal assistance with family law matters. Specifically, the study explored access, cost, and quality of legal representation in the modern-day legal market—a market with increasingly more options for people contemplating or experiencing involvement in the legal system.

The United Kingdom is experimenting with a new and innovative approach to resolving family legal issues through the Family Solutions Court. Judge John Altman, the Designated Family Judge for London, launched the program, which provides early alternative dispute resolution in the court for family disputes and encourages quick resolution.

There have been a few new resources made available for separating or divorcing families in the United Kingdom, including a website that provides information for families, a collection of legal expertise and advice in legal areas, and a guide for parents who wish to separate cooperatively.

The United Kingdom Ministry of Justice recently announced the government's "commitment that from the age of 10, children and young people involved in all family court hearings in England and Wales will have access to judges to make their views and feelings known." The changes, which will be implemented as soon as possible, will also give children over 10 the opportunity to have input during mediation proceedings.

As reported previously, the cuts to legal aid in England have had a serious impact on the public’s ability to access the legal system and obtain representation. A recent article describes additional consequences stemming from the 2012 cuts. A survey of barristers indicated that 69% of respondents who worked as family legal aid practitioners reported a decline in fee income.