Today's Family Lawyer Podcast

The latest Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast turns its attention to a role that is often misunderstood and undervalued in the courts system; that of intermediaries. Intermediaries play an important role in supporting better, and more informed participation in courts.  Rachel Cohen, director at the Intermediary Cooperative and a communication specialist, joins host David Opie to discuss the work of int...

After a baptism of fire when just 16 days into her new role as CEO of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) Jennifer Coupland was thrust into one of the biggest crises legal services has faced since the Legal Services Act with the Mazur ruling and subsequent appeal. In a wide ranging discussion on the Today's Family Lawyer Podcast, Coupland discusses how she handled the immediat...

A quiet revolution is underway in family justice. In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast, James Evans, Head of Strategic Growth at Nova and trustee of the newly launched Separated Parenting Programme Directory, explains why a long‑standing gap in support for separated families has finally been closed. For years, high‑quality parenting programmes have existed across England and Wales,...

The latest Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast turns its attention to one of the profession’s most persistent, and least openly discussed, challenges: the impact of maternity leave on women’s careers in law.  While the legal sector is not alone in perpetuating the motherhood penalty, the measurable career disadvantage experienced by women after having children, the podcast explores the unique pressure t...

The Today's Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes two expert guests on to discuss a new book focused on children’s right to identity within international family law, using Article 8 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as a foundational framework.   Children’s Rights to Identity, Selfhood and International Family Law is edited by Marilyn Freeman, Principal Research Fel...

In this latest Today's Family Lawyer Podcast, founders Natasha Grande and Neil Graham explain how newly launched G&G Law came about and what their motivations were behind leaving their secure and successful positions, and striking out on their own.  With decades of experience between them, Graham specialises in prenuptial agreements to complex financial settlements at the end of long marr...

Charlotte Haskayne, Business Manager at Northgene, joins the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast to lift the lid on the realities of legal DNA testing and its growing role in modern family law.  Where is DNA evidence crucial? What role does it play in the courts? Haskayne discusses her experience with court‑ordered paternity disputes to the rapidly rising number of surrogacy‑related parental order appli...

The legal profession lacks formal training on managing vicarious trauma, emotional overwhelm, and the human dynamics underpinning family breakdown, leading to family professionals' own mental health and wellbeing coming under pressure through their work.  With 20 years' experience as a trauma specialist psychotherapist and a trained cognitive behavioural therapist, not to mention a famil...

The latest episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast welcomes Senior Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) Clair Daniel to explore the current landscape of legal complaints handling, the challenges facing firms, and the strategic work underway to improve first‑tier resolution across the legal sector. The backdrop to the discussion is the increase in the number of cases in which LeO identify po...

The latest Today’s Family Lawyer podcast features Frank Arndt, founder of Paradigm Family Law and co‑founder of Whatwouldajudgesay. Arndt is well known in the sector. A former German judge. A specialist in international family law. A familiar face on the BBC’s red sofa. And a vocal commentator on LinkedIn. His new venture aims to tackle one of the most pressing problems in family justice: delay, c...

The latest Today’s Family Lawyer podcast shines a spotlight on a challenge many firms acknowledge and struggle to tackle; the differentiation of service provision and effectively marketing those points of difference to prospective clients with clarity, confidence and distinction in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Hosted by David Opie, the episode explores why so many family law practices...

Ahead of Family Mediation Week 2026 the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast brings together three leading voices and contributors to the event to discuss the ambitions of the awareness campaign.  Hosted David Opie welcomes Romina Kamran, a fully accredited family mediator and founder of Arc Mediation and Digital MIAM, Paul Linsell, partner and head of the family law team at Boyes Turner and Sarah Mannin...

Christmas can be a tough time of year to stay sober; especially for those who struggle with addiction issues.  In this latest Today's Family Lawyer podcast two experts provide their views on how specialist services can support family law professionals, and by extension their clients, in their efforts to stay sober over the festive period.  Joining podcast host David Opie are Donna Muldoon, Re...

Recruitment and retention; almost always one of the top three items on the agenda at every partners meeting. Collaboration between education and industry could help professionals bridge the gap and identify new recruits at an earlier stage in their development.  So say Jonathan Whettingsteel Partner and Head of Family Law at Dutton Gregory, and Brad Kershaw, Course Leader for Law at Solent Univers...

The Today's Family Lawyer podcast explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on co-parenting through the eyes of family law professionals; with Sophie Lougher, Director and Senior Solicitor, and Kathryn Fanstone a Solicitor at Zeus Family Law sharing their insight and experiences.  The Cardiff-based boutique firm was founded during the pandemic, driven by Sophie's own experience juggli...

The Today's Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes co-founder and Head of Innovation at Family Law Partners Alan Larkin on to discuss his vision for family law.  Through his career Larkin has championed access to justice, and the evolution of client experience; and the use of technology to support these objectives - work which has recently been recognised with the award of an honorary doctorate by th...

The latest episode of Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes on Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner at Watkins Solicitors and Vice Chair of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group to discuss the impact of the Legal Aid Agency cyber attack on her firm, and the wider legal aid community.  The Legal Aid Agency revealed as many as 2 million records dating back 2007 had been hacked back in May of this year; w...

In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast, host David Opie is joined by Peter Burgess, Founding Partner at Burgess Mee Family Law, and Hannah Budd, Partner at the Rosefield Divorce Consultancy, to explore a new collaboration designed to reshape how family law professionals support clients in crisis. The conversation centres on “Within the Window,” a trauma-informed framework developed t...

The Today's Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes Annmarie Carvalho, director of The Carvalho Consultancy (TCC), to discuss her work at the intersection of law and therapy and the launch of her new book, ' Saying Sane in Family Law ', available now through Bath Publishing.  A former family solicitor and mediator with over a decade of experience in a central London firm, Annmarie retrained...

In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast, host David Opie discusses the increasing number of disputes between separating partners when it comes to pets, and a new working group looking at amending legislation to bring it more in line with the challenges family professionals face on this emotive topic.  Barrister Sarah Lucy Cooper,  Diane Matthews, a senior associate at MSB Solicitors i...

This episode of the Today's Family Lawyer podcast features host David Opie in conversation with Grant Cameron - family lawyer, mediator, collaborative practitioner, and a partner at Trethowans . Grant recently concluded his tenure as Chair of Resolution, having led the organization during a transformative post-COVID period marked by significant legislative and cultural shifts. He reflects on...

In this episode of the Today's Family Lawyer podcast, host David Opie welcomes Sally Robinson , partner and head of the HCR Law Family Team in Central England. Broadcasting from the Northampton office, Sally brings over two decades of legal experience to a timely discussion on how language in family law is evolving. Sally reflects on the landmark shift introduced by no-fault divorce , calling...

In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast, host David Opie is joined by Jude Eyre , Associate Director at the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) . Together, they explore the newly released Toolkit for Judges on Writing to Children , a guidance document designed to support judges in communicating directly with children in family law proceedings. Jude offers insight into the colla...

In this powerful episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast, host David Opie welcomes Shoba Aziz , an experienced barrister at Great James St Chambers, for an important conversation exploring the psychological dimensions of domestic abuse—specifically narcissistic behaviour and gaslighting. Drawing on over 20 years in legal practice, Shoba shares her deep expertise in private child and family la...

In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast host David Opie is joined by Mike Mack, CEO of the Family Mediation Trust, and Lorraine Bramwell, a seasoned family mediator and trainer, to discuss the creation of a new Domestic Abuse Screening Tool. The initiative is a collaboration between the Family Mediation Trust and the Family Mediation Council (FMC), aimed at improving the consistency a...