iFLG | News

David Hodson presents keynote speech at the Irish Family Lawyers Association conference

2011-11-12T13:46:00Z

On 12 November, 2011 the Irish Family Lawyers Association, being the association solicitors and barristers in the Republic of Ireland, held their annual conference. David Hodson was invited to be the keynote speaker, and in celebration of the 10th birthday of Brussels II, dealt with the impact of this law and of other EU family law over the past decade.

The conference was held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, because of the launch on 11th of November 2011 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast, of the historic inauguration of a cross Ireland family law initiative, between family law practitioners in the Republic and Northern Ireland. It will mean much closer working on both cases and law initiatives, including cross-border child abduction, enforcement of maintenance and property orders and other aspects affecting families with connections both north and south of the border.

Supreme Court decision on cohabitation law

2011-11-09T13:45:00Z

The Supreme Court has today handed down a very important decision, Jones v Kernot, about rights and entitlements of those who cohabit when a property is held on the title deeds in a way which does not reflect the true and fair ownership. It has given guidance on finding evidence of a common intention of the shares in which a family home of a cohabiting couple can be decided. Michael Allum, with David Hodson, of iFLG has written a briefing paper, as attached

David Hodson is Family Law Commentator of the Year

2011-10-18T09:32:00Z

David Hodson receives the prestigious inaugural Jordans award for Family Law Commentator of the Year, at the awards ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. This was for his outstanding contribution to commentary on family law developments nationally and internationally. Unlike most of the other awards, it was specifically voted by family lawyers.

iFLG is delighted at this recognition for David who has over many years tirelessly written and spoken on family law issues, for the benefit of family lawyers here and abroad, for the public and for policymakers.

The award was presented by Liz Walsh, editor of Jordans Family Law magazine and International Family Law magazine.

It was also announced that the second edition of his international family law book will be published in January 2012, titled “The International Family Law Practice”. Further details and an order form are available from iFLG.

David commented on the award in his weekly opinion piece

iFLG hold training seminar on skills in international children mediation

2011-05-09T09:38:00Z

The International Family Law Group is holding a seminar on 29 June, 2011 at 6 PM on the skills needed for mediation in international children cases, primarily child abduction. These are a very different form of mediation from national children disputes. It is fundamental to work in parallel with the court imposed timetable. A specialist awareness of the possible outcomes must be combined with very particular mediation skills. Sometimes the parents may be in different countries, which presents additional difficulties for the mediation process.

Experience and research has shown that mediation is definitely appropriate and successful in these often hard to settle cases. Denise Carter OBE, head of iFLG Mediation Services and a globally recognised international children mediator, will be speaking about her considerable experience as a mediator in child abduction cases. Sir Peter Singer will be chairing. Professor Marilyn Freeman will be explaining the most recent research across the world on the issue. David Hodson and Anita Guha will be looking at the wider dimension of referral to mediation under the new court rules and the new EU Mediation Directive.

The seminar is being kindly hosted by 7 Bedford Row Chambers. It will benefit all mediators, family lawyers and judges and those working with international families. The flyer with details is attached. For more information and to attend, please contact Maria Sands on maria.sands@iflg.uk.com

iFLG speakers at 12 Australian Annual Family Lawyers conference, Singapore

2011-04-11T09:37:00Z

David Hodson and Ann Thomas of iFLG have been invited to be speakers at the 12th Australian family lawyers conference taking place in Singapore 10 – 15th June 2011. It is attended by many specialist family lawyers from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and other countries. David Hodson is speaking on mediation and alternative dispute resolution in international family dispute cases. Ann Thomas is taking part in a presentation looking at various remedies for self help in obtaining disclosure in various countries. The opening address is by the Chief District Judge of Singapore. More details can be found at http://www.aflc.com.au

Shared parenting

2011-02-15T16:30:00Z

At a meeting this evening in the Houses of Parliament organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on family law reform, there was a discussion of shared parenthood and the significant involvement of both parents in the lives of children after parental separation. David Hodson was one of the four speakers. He covered the development of a shared residence orders. His speech can be found below.

Plugging the hole of nondisclosure

2011-02-10T17:45:00Z

David Hodson writes a weekly opinion piece on international aspects for Jordans electronic newsletter circulated to thousands of family lawyers in England and abroad. This week he has drawn attention to the provision in the Dutch Civil Code which would give a significant disincentive to anyone attempting to hide assets. The opinion piece is attached

Practical aspects of marital agreements with an international element

2011-02-07T17:47:00Z

A symposium on international aspects of marital agreements was held this evening, organised by the London Metropolitan University’s Centre for Family Law and Practice in conjunction with 7 Bedford Row. The chair was Baroness Hale. Speakers and members of the panel included Mr Justice Mostyn, Jacky Julyan (also of the South African bar) and Maria Scotland of 7BR Chambers and representatives of the US firm, Miles and Stockbridge, along with David Hodson. He gave a paper on the practical aspects of marital agreements with an international dimension and spoke on how solicitors should deal with these cases and especially the very real problems when recommending a party not to sign. His paper is attached

The Four Jurisdictions Conference, Edinburgh, January 2011

2011-01-29T17:49:00Z

Ann Thomas and David Hodson attended the annual Four Jurisdictions conference, held this year in Edinburgh. It combines the jurisdictions of England with Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. There were presentations on marital agreements, self-help measures and relocation. David Hodson’s report of the conference is attached

UK Internal child relocation

2011-01-11T17:50:00Z

David Hodson writes a weekly opinion piece on international aspects for Jordans electronic newsletter circulated to thousands of family lawyers in England and abroad. This week he looks at an internal UK relocation case, albeit between England and the far north of Scotland, and contrasts the different law on internal relocation and external relocation with the irony that it is often closer and quicker to travel to mainland Europe than the further extremities of the United Kingdom. The opinion piece is attached

Denise Carter OBE and Professor Patrick Parkinson OA join iFLG

2011-01-04T22:07:00Z

The International Family Law Group (iFLG) is delighted to announce that two of the world’s leading family law professionals are joining as Consultants to contribute to its continued success as a dynamic international family law practice.

Denise Carter OBE, the former Director of reunite, the world’s leading child abduction charity, and Prof Patrick Parkinson OA, a highly respected family law academic across the world and also Australian solicitor, become consultants on 4 January 2011.

EU Enhanced Co-operation Regulation on divorce

2010-12-20T17:51:00Z

On Monday, 20 December, 2010, as family lawyers across Europe were looking forward to the last working week of the year, the EU Council passed a Regulation (1259/2010) about which country’s laws should be applied on divorce and legal separation, the so-called applicable law regimes. The United Kingdom is specifically not a party. It is the historic first “enhanced cooperation” in the European Union. The EU allowed 14 member states to go it alone, without needing and having the support of all EU member states. It creates harmonised rules for determining on the divorce of an international couple which country’s laws would be applied, rather than necessarily the local law of the country where the divorce occurs. It is a very important legislative measure for international families in those 14 countries, for those in the remaining EU countries where international families have a connection with the 14 countries and for all worldwide family lawyers having any EU connections in their cases

David Hodson has written a summary of the content of the Regulation drawing attention to crucial elements for practitioners, clients and future policymakers

Practising in the future

2010-12-15T17:51:00Z

Hannah Budd, an assistant solicitor at iFLG contributes to the weekly opinion piece on international aspects for Jordans electronic newsletter circulated to thousands of family lawyers in England and abroad. This week as a younger member of the profession she has looked at practising as a lawyer in the future with the likely trends and changes in family law with the significant number of international families and international family law cases. Her opinion piece is attached

Family law in the clouds

2010-11-15T17:52:00Z

David Hodson writes a weekly opinion piece on international aspects for Jordans electronic newsletter circulated to thousands of family lawyers in England and abroad. This week he reports and reflects on a fascinating talk given by Andrew Davies, a leading Australian family lawyer based in Perth, on the subject of cloud technology and the impact on family law cases and family law practice. The opinion piece is attached

Parliament considers reform of child relocation law

2010-11-10T14:21:00Z

At a meeting in Parliament yesterday, 9 November 2010, organised by FNF, Ann Thomas of iFLG spoke about the urgent need for reform of English child relocation law, given that in practice it is very heavily weighted in favour of the residential parent, invariably the mother, and the importance of finding ways to resolve these disputes without a final court hearing. Other speakers were Prof Marilyn Freeman of the London Metropolitan University and Michael Robinson of the Custody Minefield. The full text of her speech is attached