Our lawyers and consultants are prominent in the field of family and child care work. They are regularly quoted in the national press and specialist publications and appear on television and radio. We provide assistance to researchers and work with a number of UK and overseas news gathering organisations. For press and media enquiries contact Chris May on 07799 664876.
Webinars
16 September 2010 Family Law Legal Practice
27 April 2010 LexisWebinar Family Law Legal Aid Practice after October 2010 - Beyond the Civil Bid Round
Recent press and media in which we have been cited or appeared:
01 September 2010 BBC Radio 4 Women's Hour Family Courts (Podcast)
11 August 2010 BBC Radio 4 Today - Family Justice System on its Knees (Podcast)
11 August 2010 BBC News Barnardo's says court delays damage children
10 August 2010 The Times Lawyers warn of chaos in family courts as legal aid contracts are cut
05 August 2010 Law Society Gazette Family Lawyers warn against cost-cutting
13 July 2010 Solicitors Journal Fixing Broken Britain
24 June 2010 BBC Radio 4 You and Yours
18 May 2010 Solicitors Journal Hybrid Propulsion
22 April 2010 Law Society Gazette Child’s view holds sway in international abduction case
15 April 2010 Butterworths Law Leader New Practice Direction for Care Proceedings Risks Being Undermined by Shortage of Childrens Guardians
06 April 2010 Solicitors Journal Measured welcome for new family practice directions
31 March 2010 Law Society Gazette Lawyers warning over family experts fee cuts
18 March 2010 Law Society Gazette Straw to end fees in care cases
11 March 2010 Law Society Gazette Children should give evidence
18 February 2010 Law Society Gazette Cafcass "in meltdown"
12 February 2010 BBC Radio 4 Today Cafcass failing children
11 February 2010 Law Society Gazette "New era" for Family Mediation in London
04 February 2010 Law Society Gazette Children ‘mistrust media’, study by children’s commissioner reveals
03 February 2010 BBC Asian Network Aina Khan Consultant "Wedding chaos as Muslim marriages not recognised in UK"
27 January 2010 Channel 4 Television Aina Khan Consultant on Channel 4 News "Blair at Chilcott - The Iraq Enquiry - alternative questions"
21 January 2010 Law Society Gazette Family Justice Review
15 December 2009 Solicitors Journal Forced Marriages Act is "working well"
10 December 2009 Law Society Gazette Lawyers attack government plans to extend family reporting
22 November 2009 BBC ONE - The Big Questions - Debate
16 November 2009 Law Society Gazette - Interview ►listen to podcast
07 November 2009 New Law Journal Unmarried couples and intestacy rights - proposals by the Law Commission
02 November 2009 BBC Radio 4 - Women's Hour - Debate ►listen to podcast
01 November 2009 British Sky Broadcasting - Sky News Debate
26 October 2009 The Times Vulnerable children being failed by crumbling family justice system
26 October 2009 The Times Family Courts Crisis means long wait for vulnerable children
08 October 2009 Law Society Gazette Family lawyer fears over guardians’ ‘dangerous’ caseloads
17 September 2009 Law Society Gazette Comment - Cafcass and the Family Justice System failing vulnerable children
9 September 2009 Civil Service World Frontline
27 August 2009 Lewisham Borough Council Coping with recession
20 August 2009 Law Society Gazette Virtual law firms
19 August 2009 BBC News Blacklaws Davis offers lifeline in light of Cambridge Law Centre collapse
06 August 2009 Law Society Gazette Civil Legal Aid Contracts on Ice
17 July 2009 The Times Justice Committee criticises plans for £12m cuts in family legal aid
15 July 2009 Law Society Gazette Justice committee warns of family lawyer ‘exodus’
09 July 2009 Law Society Gazette Head of family division calls for ‘urgent action’ over guardians
Christina Blacklaws
Positions held:
• Elected representative for Child Care Law on the Law Society (“LS”) Council. (2002 to date)
• Member (chair 2003- 2007) LS Family Law Committee and Children Law Sub- Committee dealing with best practice and legal developments in children and family law; responding to government consultations and proposing law reform.
• Member of LSC stakeholder/ advisory group for children and family legal aid.
• Member (chair) of the Foster Family Justice campaign- joint initiative with London Judiciary, HMCS and LS
• Chief Examiner Law Society's Children's Panel (2010)
Publications:
• Family Law Journal - editorial on cohabitation and article on legal aid; other family law related articles in LAPG magazine, Family Law News, Family Law, ALC magazine.
• Co-author of LS books-2nd edition "Family Law Protocol" and "Guide for Best Practice in Child Care Proceedings". 15,000 copies of the Guide distributed. It now forms the core text for Children Panel assessment process.
• Written and delivered papers for academic conferences e.g. Keynote speaker for CLT conference on "Protecting the Child", Butterworths Legal Aid, Jordans Family Law, LAPG and LS EU Conferences; Portsmouth County Court debate on transparency (against Sarah Harman)
Representative:
• Representing LS at national and international conferences. E.g. EU summit on Family Law- Italy 2004; chairing plenary at Rights of the Child Congress, South Africa 2005.
Qualifications and memberships:
• All issues mediator (1997) and mediation Practice Consultant (2007)
• Collaborative lawyer- (2003).
• Higher Rights of Audience (Civil)- (2005)
• Member of Resolution, LS Children Panel (child representative since 1994), Association of Lawyers for Children, Family Mediation Council, Association of Women Solicitors, London Children Panel Group.
