Annual Report 2012
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Contents
03 From the Chair and Chief Execu ve
08 Commi ee updates
19 Inuencing government
05 What our members told us
14 Regional highlights
20 Ge ng our message across
06 Why I became a member
16 Celebra ng 30 years
21 A year in pictures
07 Resolu on in the media
18 Training and professional development
23 Financial overview
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Resolu on team
Our Na onal Commi ee
Our thanks
Code of Prac ce
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From the Chair and Chief Execu ve
2013 marks 30 years since Resolu on’s incep on and this is cause to celebrate. Sadly our founder John Cornwell died earlier this year and as one member commented “it will be a sad conference without the man in the purple velour dinner jacket.”
Would we be here without John? It is hard to envisage anyone else having the imagina on and determina on to gather together such a disparate group of individuals then undertaking family law and melding them into the cohesive group of specialist professionals commi ed to construc ve family outcomes that Resolu on now represents. John did not just conceive an idea, he worked relessly to make the organisa on as strong as it needed to be and then went on to co-found the Family Mediator’s Associa on. Another of his colleagues has commented on how graciously he then allowed the organisa on to change shape – and even name! John’s influence on this organisa on will con nue. Listening to John’s short speech as he collected the outstanding achievement award at the Family Law Awards 2012, and from considering ar cles he wrote at recent landmark anniversaries of the organisa on, you cannot escape his challenge for us to avoid being complacent.
In the past year ■ We put together the first ever na onal Family Dispute Resolu on Week in September. With the support of our members, we reached 10 million people across all our regions and raised the profile of alterna ves to court and our members, through media coverage and promo onal ac vi es. We will build on the campaign’s success in 2013. ■ We launched Separa ng Together, a guide specifically designed to direct the public towards Resolu on members. This has been extremely well received by prac oners, the judiciary, and voluntary sector organisa ons such as Relate. Copies were also sent to every MP, offering Resolu on members the opportunity to forge links with their local representa ves and offer them support and guidance ahead of legal aid changes. ■ Our members' pioneering work in arbitra on saw the launch of the Ins tute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) to promote and develop family arbitra on. As one of IFLA’s founding organisa ons we will con nue to develop this area - another flagship dispute resolu on ini a ve we can all be proud of.
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From the Chair and Chief Execu ve
■ We issued a complete new edi on of our Good Prac ce Guides free of charge which have been extremely well received by both members and the judiciary. ■ We held our hugely successful Changing Prac ces for Changing Times and ‘Team DR’ conferences. Resolu on's commi ees have designed and delivered workshops and seminars on legal aid tendering, advocacy skills, accredita on in domes c violence, and a host of black le er and essen al skills topics – as well as a con nued focus on dispute resolu on training. First class training remains central to Resolu on's ac vi es. ■ Resolu on successfully helped to widen the defini on of domes c violence and the gateway criteria in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act. This remains a poor piece of legisla on, but the changes we secured mean more vulnerable people will con nue to have access to family legal aid than would have without our influence. We will con nue to let the government know this is nowhere near enough. ■ Resolu on members and our staff team con nue to raise Resolu on’s profile with government, poli cians, the media and the public so we are be er able to posi vely influence the future of family law for all members. In the last year, for example, we have met with the new Family Jus ce Minister, Lord McNally and numerous government departments on your behalf. We also met with leading na onal journalists, and representa ves from organisa ons such as CAFCASS and Relate. This is all part of our work to build and strengthen rela onships, so Resolu on is at the forefront of people’s minds in all ma ers rela ng to family law. ■ We revised the staff team structure so that we can perform our work to meet our members’ requirements more flexibly in the changing world, and as a result have slightly more capacity with a reduced cost.
We are set for another exci ng year: our Na onal Conference in April incorpora ng our 30th anniversary gala dinner; the con nued development of the Resolu on website; and taking forward the feedback you gave in our recent membership survey, are just a few of the ac vi es that will be taking place to support members in their day to day work. There are undoubtedly some significant challenges that face the profession and Resolu on. The organisa on now has 6,500 members, who deserve to be proud of what we do, not just as a collec ve, but as individuals who are promo ng on a daily basis the core objec ves that John set for us at Resolu on’s incep on – a non-confronta onal approach to divorce and separa on.
Colin Jones Chief Execu ve
Liz Edwards Chair
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What our members told us At the end of 2012 we asked all our members to tell us what they think of Resolu on. Here are some of our key findings. Over 1,200 members completed the survey – nearly 20% of our membership. 96% said they were proud to be members. 95% of our members think the Good Prac ce Guides are very or fairly important.
And here’s what some of our members had to say: “Keep up the good work.”
82% of our members think the membership fee represents value for money. Over 90% of respondents regularly use nego a on to achieve out-of-court agreements, and nearly 60% regularly use media on. Fewer than 60% find they regularly need to go to court. Over 95% of our members said they would like to be contacted via email, with 79% sa sfied or very sa sfied with our current electronic communica ons. Over the coming year we will tailor our member communica ons in order to deliver mely and appropriate messages to our members. More than 65% read most of The Review (a third of these read it cover to cover). Overwhelmingly, the most popular parts of The Review are those covering black le er law. Two thirds of our members have a ended Resolu on training. Nearly 70% have a ended regional Resolu on training, half of those who haven't a ended any, just haven't been able to find anything that's interested them. As we introduce new training courses, we hope that more of you will benefit as you enhance your professional development. 84% of our members think that our work improving the profile of family lawyers is very important, and 72% of our members are sa sfied or very sa sfied with our work in this area. We have a dedicated team working hard to engage with the media and raise the profile of family law via ini a ves such as Family Dispute Resolu on Week. 71% feel our work ensuring members adhere to the Code of Prac ce is very important. In 2013 we are revising our complaints and feedback procedure and enhancing our Specialist Accredita on scheme by adding elements of the Code of Prac ce into assessments. Our members told us a lot more and we will use this to develop our work based on your feedback.
“I appreciate the work done to try and raise public awareness but it needs to be widened and public percep on of our value to society needs to change.” “It has been very rewarding and helpful for me personally as a result of my involvement in regional groups and the commi ee I'm a member of.” “Resolu on has considerable talent and exper se - have more confidence to promote it and its members!” “I par cularly enjoy the camaraderie of the na onal conference, and other conferences, and being part of a very professional and suppor ve and very relevant organisa on.” “Our reputa on is high especially amongst judiciary and government officials. We need to con nue to punch above our weight.”
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Why I became a member “I get many things from my role in Resolu on. I am more recognised in the region, and have made many new friends and acquaintances, which has led to me picking up work purely as a result of knowing more people. I also enjoy being involved in the debate about the future of family law and a ending na onal events. I encourage anyone working in family law to become an ac ve member of Resolu on, whatever it is they are seeking to gain from their career.”
Philip Barnsley, Birmingham
“I have stayed a member as I truly believe in the ethos of the organisa on. We make huge changes to peoples lives and the way we deal with their cases can have significant impacts on them, their children and wider family members. The networking aspect of the organisa on is important as it provides a great opportunity to chat through tricky issues with other family lawyers, and to realise that everyone goes through stressful mes, simply because of the very nature of our work.” Elizabeth Hicks, London
“Resolu on provides a forum for me to find other like-minded people and to hold discussions, and is also a vehicle that can see those changes put into effect.”
Stephen Anderson, Suffolk
“I would say that I get the most benefit out of the Resolu on prac ce guides and training events, which are highly regarded amongst the profession.”
Rachael Oakes, Oxfordshire
“People should choose a Resolu on lawyer because members have commi ed themselves to adop ng a solu on focussed approach to their clients’ problems. The organisa on has changed family law for the be er by introducing and suppor ng prac cal methods of adop ng solu on focussed approaches to the resolu on of disputes within families. Whilst I was Chair of Resolu on, and throughout my membership of NC, I was most proud to be a member of an associa on which rather than being a professional membership organisa on with the interests of its members at its heart, con nued to develop as an associa on which constantly strove to represent the interests of those people its members represented.” District Judge Greensmith, Burnley
“Soon a er joining I was invited to join the South Yorkshire Commi ee where I was able to sit alongside some of the most skilful prac oners in the area. They have each supported and encouraged me in ways that other young lawyers would never get the chance to experience. Now fully qualified, I’m approached by other young members for advice, because they know I have my own support network in place and have learned from the best. The resources available from Resolu on make giving good client care effortless. The training provided at local level is always second to none because specialist Counsel and Judges are always delighted to support the organisa on in any way they can.”
David Lister, Doncaster
“Resolu on is the natural home of all family lawyers of worth in my opinion. Membership enables me to develop my career and mix in the right circles. As a member, I worry less about missing something or having gaps in my knowledge. The Code encourages best prac ce, and membership has commercial considera ons in terms of providing a ‘badge’ to demonstrate to clients and referrers.”
Karen Barham, Surrey
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Resolu on in the media Stories to have hit the headlines in the last year, include changes to legal aid, no-fault divorce, Family DR Week and cohabita on, all of which we have commented on in the media. At our conference Sir Nicholas Wall spoke about no-fault divorce, helping to generate a sizable number of column inches that spanned The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Mail and The Times.
Coverage highlights this year include:
We worked with the Independent on Sunday to produce a feature on legal aid cuts including a powerful case study of a father who had used a Resolu on member.
■ Our Chair Liz Edwards interviewed on the Today Programme, Woman’s Hour and BBC Breakfast amongst others.
We are contacted more and more by journalists asking for comment on family law issues. We have begun to forge excellent rela onships with both legal correspondents and trade press and will further develop these in the coming year. We will con nue to support our network of Regional Press Officers and regional members, in order to help them promote their services and raise the profile of Resolu on locally. The Communica ons team has provided guidance and new resources including a Regional Press Officers Handbook and launched a LinkedIn group to encourage discussion and the sharing of best prac ce.
■ Past Chair, David Allison on ITV’s This Morning to speak about child abduc on. ■ Our Vice Chair Jo Edwards appearing on a BBC Radio 4 Moneybox divorce special.
During DR Week we es mate that our coverage reached an audience of 10 million, and in 2013 we aim to be er this. We achieved coverage in both print and on the radio, appearing in the Cambridge News, Crewe Chronicle and Birmingham Post and interviews on BBC Radio Suffolk and Stray FM amongst others.
We promoted our members to
10 million people during DR Week
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Commi ee updates All Resolu on’s ini a ves are driven by our members. The campaigning undertaken such as cohabita on and legal aid is through our volunteers doing this work – they set the agenda. Our members are at the coalface and they know what’s needed, and Resolu on is really strong because of that. Here’s a roundup of just some of the fantas c achievements in 2012 by our commi ees, and their priori es for the coming year.
Child Support Commi ee Chair - Kim Fellowes, Newcastle Key achievements ■ Responded to various government consulta ons ■ Con nued to engage with DWP/government ministers ■ Lobbied for CSA change Key priori es ■ Con nue engagement ■ Lobby for changes where appropriate to CSA legisla on, par cularly on issues such as charges ■ Raise profile of CSA work generally and to raise profile of Resolu on when opportuni es arise ■ Train membership on new child support scheme
Children Commi ee Chair - Anthony Morris, Sussex Key achievements ■ Provided substan al considera on and input to Resolu on’s response to consulta on legisla ve changes (now Children and Families Bill) ■ Submi ed evidence to House of Lords Adop on Commi ee on current legisla on and proposed changes ■ Submi ed evidence to the Jus ce Select Commi ee on dra family jus ce legisla on Key priori es ■ Raise awareness of the excellent work undertaken by members in the field of children law ■ Help develop skills-based training to further raise the standard of children work undertaken by members, including in a media on and collabora ve context ■ Help to re-launch the Paren ng A er Par ng ini a ve and devise new and innova ve resources for use by separa ng parents and those advising them
Commi ee updates
Cohabita on Commi ee Chair - Steve Kirwan, Stafford Key achievements ■ Maintained awareness of the need for Law Reform – e.g. a er Gow v Grant ■ Responded to consulta on on Equal Civil Marriage ■ Presenta on of Cohabita on Workshop at Na onal Conference 2012 Key priori es ■ Con nue work to raise awareness of lack of rights for cohabitants ■ Maintain push for reform of law - possibility of a new Cohabita on Bill
Domes c Abuse Commi ee Chair - Jane Wilson, Crewe Key achievements ■ Contributed to the widening of the domes c violence gateway to legal aid ■ Responded to the consulta ons on forced marriage and disclosure of DV convic ons ■ Development of training towards accredita on, screening for domes c abuse and on finding of fact hearings Key priori es ■ Provide resources and training to ensure members get clients through the domes c violence gateway ■ Monitor the working of the domes c violence gateway and where the vulnerable fall through the gaps ■ Lobby on filling the gaps
DR Commi ee Chair - Jo Edwards, London Key achievements ■ Commissioned a MIAMs survey which resulted in the President sending out further guidance to courts ■ Produced a Good Prac ce Guide for media on and reviewing all guides to ensure they are DR friendly ■ Organised yet another hugely successful DR conference in Oxford and two sell out PLO days Key priori es ■ Thorough review, revision and update on all DR documents ensuring accessibility to all from the website ■ Produce prac cal guidance on privilege in DR processes including where processes involve children, and where other professionals are involved and running a related workshop at Na onal Conference ■ Organise another even bigger and more successful annual DR conference!
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Commi ee updates
Interna onal Commi ee Chair - Daniel Eames, Somerset Key achievements ■ Responded to several government consulta ons rela ng to the EU Maintenance Regula on and Hague Maintenance Conven on ■ Delivered a successful workshop at Na onal Conference on the EU Maintenance Regula on ■ Offered training to all regions on the new Hague PR Conven on ■ Kept members updated on developments in interna onal family law, including ebulle ns and a regular column in Interna onal Family Law Key priori es ■ To con nue to engage with government on proposed changes in interna onal family law ■ To con nue to offer training to the membership by delivering workshops at Na onal Conference, regional seminars and hopefully a one day conference ■ To keep membership updated on developments through ebulle ns, increased content on the website and new publica ons ■ To build rela onships with interna onal lawyers and prac oner organisa ons to make interna onal law advice more accessible to members
Legal Aid Commi ee Co-chairs - David Emmerson, London and Elspeth Thomson, Newcastle Key achievements ■ Contributed to improvements in the domes c violence gateway ■ Delivered training to help legal aid family lawyers ■ Raised awareness of the impact of LASPO Key priori es ■ Training to help with the implementa on of LASPO ■ Assis ng with materials to enable members to manage LASPO changes ■ Public informa on on accessing legal aid and publically funded media on post LASPO, and then direc ng them to a Resolu on member
Membership Development Working Party Chair - Karen Barham, Surrey Key achievements ■ Successfully retained exis ng members ■ A racted new members to Resolu on ■ Provided regional support, whether in the regions and/or in colleges and LPC providers
Commi ee updates
Key priori es ■ Retaining exis ng members ■ A rac ng new members – including significantly increasing affiliates and going global ■ Suppor ng regions through closer monitoring and Na onal Commi ee outreach program – Direct Connect
Skills and Support Working Party Chair - Claire Blakemore, London Key achievements ■ Provided essen al skills courses for our members ■ Recruited new members to the commi ee ■ Con nued to coordinate training Key priori es ■ Con nuing to deliver great essen al skills workshops on a regular basis ■ Implemen ng workshops in the regions ■ Growing the commi ee
Precedents Dra ing Commi ee Chair - Caroline Ellio , No ngham Key achievements ■ Revision of Precedents for Separa on, Pre-Marriage and Pre-Civil Partnership Agreements (last ed. 2008) ■ Embarking on revision of Consent Order precedents (last edi on 2009). We tried a new and speedier approach which worked well Key priori es ■ Comple ng the revision of the consent order precedents, which we hope to publish by summer 2013 ■ Rota onal revision of other publica ons ■ Con nuing healthy debate on the detail of what we do!
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Commi ee updates
Property, Tax and Pensions Commi ee Chair - Pauline Fowler, London Key achievements ■ Educa on and training for the membership was provided by way of a hugely successful and well a ended pensions workshop at Na onal Conference 2012 and through an ar cle in The Review on ‘elephant traps in tax’ ■ Members of the commi ee assisted with the redra ing of the Precedents for Consent Orders in respect of tax and pensions ■ Assisted with the dra ing of the Resolu on response to the Law Commission’s Consulta on Paper on matrimonial property, needs and agreements. The commi ee also provided responses to the Family Procedure Rules Commi ee consulta on regarding the rules and prac ce direc on on experts ■ Jason Lane of Saffery Champness was co-opted onto the commi ee as a tax expert Key priori es ■ Dissemina on of informa on to the membership regarding tax updates and regarding the implica ons of the Pension Bill ■ Providing a response to the dra Pensions Bill ■ Presen ng workshops on pensions and tax at Na onal Conference 2013 ■ Considera on of the Duxbury Tables and the state of knowledge in the profession as to their status
Skills Commi ee Chair - Shona Alexander, London Key achievements ■ Development of content for 2012 Na onal Conference ■ Co-organised a review of all training offered by Resolu on and examined how it should develop ■ Oversaw an extensive array of training in skills and black le er law Key priori es ■ Offer a full programme of conferences and training that meet members’ needs and further Resolu on’s aims ■ Review the results of the Commi ee’s away day and implement changes as required ■ Ensure we are open to sugges ons and feedback from all areas of the organisa on
Specialist Accredita on Commi ee Chair - Peter Jones, Leeds Key achievements ■ Review of the accredita on scheme ■ Increased size of the commi ee
Commi ee updates
Key priori es ■ Review and strengthen the prospectus to maintain the integrity of the scheme ■ Increase the areas available for accredita on and develop closer contact with assessors etc ■ Improve the enthusiasm of our younger members and establish accredita on as a natural career progression
Standards Commi ee Chair - David Woodward, Bristol Key achievements ■ Revamped Good Prac ce Guides and raised profile of family law protocol ■ Responded to consulta ons on FP (amendment) Rules + PDs and FPR25 + PD 25A ■ Smooth running of the complaints and disciplinary procedure and ongoing review Key priori es ■ Distribu on and marke ng of the Good Prac ce Guides and Family Law Protocol to promote and energise the Code of Prac ce ■ Complete review of complaints and disciplinary procedure ■ Take advantage of the appointment of Head of Standards to refocus our work
Training Commi ee Chair - Shona Alexander, London Key achievements ■ Co-organised the Na onal Conference and the Changing Prac ces conference ■ Developed extensive programme of black le er law training including Kerno v Jones, advocacy, legal aid and Hague Conven on ■ Prepared a good programme of training for 2013 Key priori es ■ Delivery of a wide range of courses ■ Ongoing planning of new training courses ■ Explora on of new pla orms and methods to deliver future training
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Regional highlights Resolu on now boasts a network of 41 regions, with more than 20 YRes representa ves. In 2012 our members raised money for local chari es, enhanced their professional development and of course made some me for socialising! Here are some highlights from around the regions.
Dawn Harrison from Res presented Kent Family Me olu on Kent dia on with a dona on for £500. Services
£2,000 cheque, s presented with a contact centre wa mbridge and West Suffolk. Chair ild Ch Ely d an ge Ca on Cambrid ntact centre) and auc on by Resolu raised at a charity ntre) is pictured with Mary Parker (co the centre. of n (ce y tro pa rve d Ha an Juliet al District Judge James Taylor, a loc Members of Resolu on Counsel from 1 Hare Cou West Sussex Commi ee, pictured with Law Half Day - Weald & rt Chambers in London (middle) at Family Downland Open Air Chichester in SeptemberMuseum in Singleton, .
Regional highlights
tured at dlands members pic Resolu on West Mi Christmas recep on. their charity Resolu on Hull and Eas Wilkinson, Ashlie Presco t Yorkshire Christmas social. Pictured – Adele , Hill, Jane Hockless, AlisonClaire Ward, Catherine Lazenby, Stormm Buxton Benson, Nicki McMaster and Louise Garner.
d– up in Hampshire. Picture Launch of a new YRes gro(Chair), Elizabeth Ford (Vice Chair), ber en Davies. Patrick Goodings, Kate Bar itley, Catherine Day, Hel Claire Collins, Nicola Wh
Sophie Hughes, Toni You ng, the Olympic torch at the Mike Barry and Susan Hilton pictured with Resolu on South Wales Annual Dinner.
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Celebra ng 30 years Sadly our founder John Cornwell recently passed away. John had a vision to change the face of family law, so gathered a small group of like-minded professionals together to achieve this. His determina on has had an immeasurable impact on separa ng families and on the family law profession as a whole. We owe him a huge debt and he will be sadly missed. Resolu on has grown significantly over the last three decades. When we were first established, in 1983, we had 35 members. Now, in 2013, we have over 6,500 family law prac oners commi ed to reducing conflict in separa on. There are many things we have achieved since our incep on. The Paren ng a er Par ng ini a ve, the introduc on of collabora ve law training and our first na onal awareness-raising week are just a few of the key milestones for us and our members. We have influenced government policy and family law for the be er, and minimised the nega ve impact of some of the more damaging legisla on we have seen in recent years.
1983 2013
Celebra ng 30 years
“Resolu on is doing (collabora ve law)....to help families who otherwise will come before the courts. It is an admirable scheme run by an admirable organisa on.”
Baroness Butler-Sloss
One thing that has remained unchanged, however, is the Resolu on Code of Prac ce and the dedica on of our members to suppor ng families through separa on. There are undoubtedly challenges ahead for our members and the profession as a whole, but we want to ensure we remain the ‘go to’ organisa on for government, prac oners and the public, and will con nue our work to remain ‘first for family law.’
1983
2013
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Training and professional development This year we’ve provided our members with a full programme of training courses, offered a range of publica ons, three conferences and opportuni es to gain accredita on. We sent out 6,600 new copies of the Guides to Good Prac ce. There are 16 guides in all, including seven new guides in the latest edi on.
And this is what a endees thought about the courses…
80 courses took place last year which were a ended by over 1,600 delegates. 196 CPD hours were available last year.
“An excellent course – lots to take back with me.”
Between them, 1,600 delegates earned 313,600 CPD hours last year.
“Excellent speakers – thoroughly enjoyed it.”
383 delegates a ended our Na onal Conference in Leeds, earning nearly 4,000 CPD hours.
“Very helpful.”
Our biggest ever DR conference to date was a ended by 190 delegates in Oxford. And our latest one-day conference, Changing Prac ces for Changing Times, was a ended by over 250 delegates - that's a whopping 1518 CPD points earned in one day! In 2012 we saw 105 members achieve specialist accredita on. 286 exis ng specialists were reaccredited, which means we now have over 1,630 accredited specialists altogether.
“Really informa ve and easy to follow.” “Very interes ng and well run course – thank you.” “Many thanks, it was excellent.” “A thoroughly enjoyable course.”
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Influencing government In the last year we have, on behalf of our members, heavily lobbied government, MPs, Peers and other policy influencers on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. Resolu on’s work to influence family law policy has also seen us respond to government consulta ons on a wide range of issues. These include co-paren ng following family separa on – where we sat on the Department for Educa on Expert Shared Paren ng Group; broadening the cross government defini on of ‘domes c violence’; and making forced marriage a criminal offence.
We have engaged with many other influencers in the family law arena including:
Changes to the legal aid system have dominated 2012, and whilst LASPO remains a poor piece of legisla on, Resolu on’s campaign has achieved some posi ve outcomes including:
■ Par cipa ng in the Jus ce Select Commi ee’s pre-legisla ve scru ny of the Children and Families Bill currently before Parliament.
■ A significant widening of the evidence criteria to enable vic ms of ‘domes c violence’ to access private family legal aid with an extension of the evidence me limit from 12 to 24 months. ■ A wider defini on of ‘domes c violence’ when assessing eligibility for private family legal aid, in line with that currently used by government departments and ACPO. ■ The reten on of legal aid in some circumstances where domes c child abduc on has happened or is feared. ■ Assurances that funding could s ll be made available for collabora ve law and other dispute resolu on in the future, in addi on to media on.
■ Responding to the Law Commission on matrimonial property, needs and agreements – their consulta on was heavily influenced by a survey of Resolu on members. ■ Persuading HMCTS to pilot, rather than simply introduce, proposed changes to face to face service provision in the family courts.
■ The possibility for areas of law to be added to the scope of legal aid in the future, without the need for primary legisla on.
Head of Policy Rachel Rogers and former Chair David Allison outside Number 10.
■ Working closely with a range of civil servants and members of the judiciary, including Mr Jus ce Ryder, Judge in charge of the Modernisa on of Family Jus ce, as the recommenda ons from the Family Jus ce Review are taken forward.
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Ge ng our message across More than ever before, we are communica ng with our members, other organisa ons, and the public.
Last year we introduced monthly all member e-bulle ns, alongside our monthly updates to legal aid prac oners. We’re using social media, such as LinkedIn and Twi er more o en, to help get our message across. Last year’s Family Dispute Resolu on Week a racted 500 new Twi er followers to @ResFamilyLaw. And tweets about the campaign reached over 50,000 users. Our website, www.resolu on.org.uk, now receives around 25,000 visits per month – up around 40% from this me last year. And the ‘find a member’ page received 150% more visits in the two months following DR Week. All of this in addi on to the popular member magazine, The Review, which con nues to be sent, free of charge, to every single Resolu on member.
Website visits up 40% on last year
®
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A year in pictures 2012 was a busy and exci ng year for Resolu on and our members. We delivered three sell-out conferences, launched our ďŹ rst dedicated family dispute resolu on week and saw some of our members celebrated for their outstanding contribu on to family law.
Our biggest ever DR con ference took pla ďŹ rst dedicated Family DR ce in Oxford and coincided with our Week in September.
Legal Aid Lawyer Member Rachel Horman wins Family . of the Year Award in June
Our sell-out Changing Prac ces for Changing Times conference in June.
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A year in pictures
Media training was held in London and ahead of Family DR Week. Birmingham
year where we delighted took place in Leeds last Our Na onal ConferenceSir Nicholas Wall as our keynote speaker. to be joined by
Resolu on founder John Cornwell (righ t) receiving his Outstanding Contribu on to the Field of Family Law Award in October.
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Financial overview In 2012, Resolu on’s income totalled £2.4m. Of this, nearly half came from member subscrip ons, with the bulk of the remainder coming from income from training and learning, including seminars. We have used this income to support our members by engaging in key ac vity areas as outlined in this document. Breakdowns of income and expenditure are outlined below, and in addi on our full audited accounts can be found on the members’ sec on of the Resolu on website. Membership is the lifeblood of our organisa on, both for the promo on of the Code in Prac ce and in terms of our finances through subscrip ons and training income. 2012 saw a revised staff structure and a five year strategic and opera onal plan supported by a sound financial review and budget. The Na onal Commi ee has commi ed just under 26% (£0.35m) of free reserves to support members, and we will con nue to invest our remaining reserves to reflect our members’ needs. In response to member feedback, developing training and learning will be a priority moving forward and, together with influencing government and the public, we will con nue to invest in new and innova ve ways to enable Resolu on members to remain first for family law.
4%
Income
1%
£000s
Subscrip ons
49%
1,183
Training and Learning (inc seminars)
42%
1,025
Accredita ons
4%
88
Publica ons / Other
4%
109
Investment income
1%
31
100%
2,436
TOTAL
4%
49% 42%
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Financial overview
Expenditure
£000s 9%
Training and Learning, Accredita on & Publica ons - General
25%
606
Training and Learning, Accredita on & Publica ons - Dispute Resolu on
26%
646
7%
Membership Support
13%
315
12%
Influencing & Engagement
12%
279
Office Costs & Administra on
7%
179
Commi ees & Governance
8%
180
Underspend / Projects*
9%
231
100%
2,436
TOTAL
*The 2012 surplus of 9% represents delayed expenditure on our consent orders and other publica ons, due to slippage in the produc on mes and an underspend on staff, and associated project and ac vity costs, as we did not recruit as quickly as we had an cipated following a restructure in the staff team.
8%
25%
26% 13%
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Resolu on team London OďŹƒce
Rheem Al-Adhami Communica ons Manager
Ma Bryant, Director Communica ons
Patrick Daniels Opera ons Manager
Claire Easterman Director, Opera ons
Colin Jones Chief Execu ve
Angela Lake-Carroll Head of Standards (Consultant)
Sarah Lloyd, Director Dispute Resolu on
Euan Mackinnon Head of Publica ons
Rachel Rogers Head of Policy
Victoria Su on Communica ons Manager
Kayleigh Cella Membership and Training Administrator
Louisa Grisdale DR and General Administrator
Sue Gunn, Director Membership Support
Lisa Ribbens Accredita on and General Administrator
Laurie Shelley General Administrator
Paul Smith Director, Finance
Denise Sullivan DR and General Administrator
Pe s Wood OďŹƒce
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Our Na onal Commi ee
Elizabeth Edwards Chair, Resolu on
Elspeth Thomson Co-Chair, Legal Aid Commi ee
Execu ve Commi ee
David Gray Solicitors LLP, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Chair, Paren ng a er Par ng Working Party Amphle Lissimore, London Joanne Edwards Vice Chair, Resolu on Chair, Regional Liaison Commi ee
David Emmerson Co-Chair, Legal Aid Commi ee TV Edwards Solicitors LLP, London
David Woodward Secretary, Resolu on Chair, Standards Commi ee TLT Solicitors, Bristol Steve Kirwan Treasurer, Resolu on Chair, Cohabita on Commi ee Nowell Meller Solicitors, Staord
Osbornes LLP, London Nigel Shepherd Execu ve Commi ee Mills & Reeve LLP, Manchester Kim Fellowes Chair, Child Support Commi ee Silk Family Law, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne James Pirrie Chair, Publica ons Team Family Law in Partnership, London
David Allison Family Law in Partnership, London
Barlow Robbins LLP, Woking Jane Wilson Chair, Domes c Abuse Commi ee Hall Smith Whi ngham LLP, Crewe
Lisa Pepper
Chair, DR Commi ee Manches LLP, London
Karen Barham Chair, Membership Development Working Party
Godfrey Freeman Morecro s Solicitors, Liverpool
Daniel Eames Chair, Interna onal Commi ee Clarke Willmo LLP, Taunton Shona Alexander Chair, Skills Commi ee Chair, Training Working Party Forsters LLP, London
Lucy Loizou Chair, YRes The Interna onal Family Law Group, London Anthony Morris Chair, Children Commi ee Anthony Morris Solicitors, Crawley Grant Cameron Lamport Bassi , Southampton
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Our thanks Resolu on owes its success to the reless work and dedica on of our volunteers. Our commi ees, networks of Regional Press Officers and POD Liaison Officers all share the drive to raise the profile of our members with the public, government, media and key influencers. We are extremely grateful for their efforts. We’d also like to thank those members not listed here, who although are not on a formal commi ee, promote the Code of Prac ce day in day out and support those families who are separa ng.
Shona Alexander Peter Alison Nicholas Allen David Allison Sital Amin Stephen Anderson Amanda Andrews Fiona Apthorpe Tricia Ashton Lyn Ayrton Sue Bailey Emma Baillie Janet Baines Richard Baker Sheridan Ball Karen Barham Melanie Barnes Philip Barnsley Louise Barre o Susie Barter Kim Beatson Patricia Beeching Kiran Beeharry Marilyn Bell Sarah Benfield Daniel Benne Emma Benyon-Tinker Peter Berry Wendy Best Simon Bethel Simon Blain Claire Blakemore Emily Boardman Lisa Boileau Caroline Bourn Caroline Bowden Charlo e Bradley Andrew Breakwell Lyn Brisley Laura Brown Simon Bruce Alison Bull Barry Bunyan Julie Burger Grant Cameron
Rebecca Carlyon Gillian Carr Benjamin Carter Robin Charrot Deborah Chism Kate Clark Nigel Clarke Adrian Clossick Emma Collins Claire Cooper Sarah Cooper James Copson Barbara Corbe Emma Cordock Ann Corrigan Michelle Counley Elizabeth Cowell Jane Cowley Graham Coy Simon Craddock Fiona Craig Jane Craig Julian Creasey Robert Cresswell Tracy Cross Loraine Davenport Fiona Davidson Ben Davies Neil Davies Tina Day Marcus Dearle Clive Delves Punam Denley Helen Derry Susan Diplock Peter Dodd Angela Donen Natalie Drew Valen ne Dunn Rebecca Dziobon Daniel Eames Elizabeth Edwards Joanne Edwards Caroline Ellio David Emmerson
Amy Fallows Tom Farrell Kim Fellowes Sara-Jayne Fildes Chantal Findlay Kim Finnis Miranda Fisher Tom Fisher Claire Fitzgerald John Fotheringham Pauline Fowler Vanessa Fox Graeme Fraser Godfrey Freeman Kerry Fretwell Camilla Fusco Marie Gallacher Sally Gandon Damian Garrido Rebekah Gershuny Ian Giddings Katherine Gieve Richard Gilbert William Giles Christopher Goulden Wendy Gouldingay Michael Gouriet Oliver Gravell Emma Green Miranda Green Fiona Greener Sue Gunn Katherine Haden Catherine Hallam Katherine Hamilton Paula Hamilton Julie-Ann Harris Emma Harte Juliet Harvey Alison Hawes Annabel Hayward Margaret Heathcote Michaela Heathcote Laura Heaton Gavin Henshaw
Elizabeth Hicks Sarah Higgins Michael Hinchliffe Richard Hoare William Hogg Belinda Hornsby Cox Sophie Hughes Ma hew Humphries Claire Hunter Alison Jane Auty Samantha Jeanes Caitlin Jenkins Carol Jessop Sarika Jetwani Katherine Jones Peter Jones Sharon Kay Lisa Kelle Margaret Kelly Mar n Kelly Jacqueline Kempton Suzanne Kingston Julie e Kinsey Stephen Kirwan Edward Kitchen Mark Kosmin Kirs e Law Stephen Lawson Mar n Leech Jus n Lees Paul L'Estrange Vicky Ling Samantha Li le Lucy Loizou Sarah London Nicholas Longford Jane Longworth Alastair Macleod Caroline Makin Alan Markham Peter Marshall Jayne Mar ns Caroline Mason Nicola Ma hews Susan McArthur
Cris McCurley Julian McEvoy Maura Mckibbin Victoria McLynn Sean McNally Sandra Meakins Rowan Mellalieu Victoria Melling Sarah Mellish Judith Middleton Jonathan Miller Tracey Miller Barbara Mills Sophie Mitchell Bina Modi Adam Moghadas Mina Moghaddam Polly Morgan Jonathan Moriarty Anthony Morris Simon Mor mer Emma Mould Jennifer Mundy David Myles Susan Nash Carolyn Nathanson Toby Ne ng Andrew Newbury Deborah Nicholson Rosalyn O'Donnell-Teelan John Osborne Rachel Osgood Jus ne Osmotherley Joanne O'Sullivan Ashley Palminteri Robert Parker Dipal Patel Demelza Patricio Monica Payne Emma-Lisbeth Pearmaine Lisa Pepper Hannah Perry Richard Phillips Helen Pidgeon James Pirrie
Jessica Pi Duane Plant Joanna Purnell Maggie Rae Greg Randall Zoe Rantell Lisa Rawcliffe Katherine Rayden Fiona Read Claire Reid Ursula Rice Emma Ries Joanne Riley Maggie Roberts Neil Robinson Patricia Robinson Stephen Root Stuart Ruff Karen Rushton Nadia Salam Vicki Sales David Salter Bhupendra Sankhla Gareth Schofield Philip Sco Lorna Sear Jennifer Seviour Heather Seward Thowheetha Shaah Richard Sharp Helen Shaw Felicity Shedden John Sherahilo Margaret Simpson Julia Smart Moira Sofaer Colin Spanner Rachel Spicer James Stewart Alison Straw Elizabeth Sulkin Elizabeth Tait Jonathan Talbot Carolynn Tan Ian Taylor
Karen Taylor Norman Taylor David Thompson Gail Thompson Zen Thompson Elspeth Thomson Philip Thorneycro Clare Thornton James Thornton Amanda Thurston Amanda Trappes-Lomax Janet Tresman Claire Trundley Brigid Turner Michelle Uppal Carolynn Usher Karin Walker Andrew Wareing Julie Waring Beth Watson Philip Way Clive Weir Jacqueline Wells Sian Whi aker Adele Wilkinson Prudence Willday Elizabeth Williams Stephen Williams Greta Williamson Hannah Wilson Jane Wilson Andrea Woelke Rachel Woodd Sarah Woodsford David Woodward Denise Woodward Elizabeth Woodward Anna Worwood Katharine Wright Nicholas Wynn-Williams Lindsay Yateman David Young ...and many, many others!
Code of Prac ce Membership of Resolu on commits family lawyers to resolving disputes in a non-confronta onal way. We believe that family law disputes should be dealt with in a construc ve way designed to preserve people’s dignity and to encourage agreements. Members of Resolu on are required to: ■ Conduct ma ers in a construc ve and non-confronta onal way ■ Avoid use of inflammatory language both wri en and spoken ■ Retain professional objec vity and respect for everyone involved ■ Take into account the long term consequences of ac ons and communica ons as well as the short term implica ons ■ Encourage clients to put the best interests of the children first ■ Emphasise to clients the importance of being open and honest in all dealings ■ Make clients aware of the benefits of behaving in a civilised way ■ Keep financial and children issues separate ■ Ensure that considera on is given to balancing the benefits of any steps against the likely costs – financial or emo onal ■ Inform clients of the op ons e.g. counselling, family therapy, round table nego a ons, media on, collabora ve law and court proceedings ■ Abide by the Resolu on Guides to Good Prac ce This Code should be read in conjunc on with the Law Society’s Family Law Protocol. All solicitors are subject to the Solicitors Regula on Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct.
Resolu on, PO Box 302, Orpington, Kent BR6 8QX DX 154460 Pe s Wood 3 T: 08457 585671 I F: 01689 896 972 E: info@resolu on.org.uk I W: www.resolu on.org.uk Resolu on is the trading name of the Solicitors Family Law Associa on, which is a company limited by guarantee. Company number 05234230 | Published and produced by Resolu on - first for family law ©Resolu on 2013. All rights reserved.