24 May 2013
When I launched my Kindle book Divorce & Splitting Up: Advice from a Top Divorce Lawyer in January 2013, I hoped people going through divorce or separation would find it useful during what can be a very confusing and difficult time. It has since gone on to sell more than 1700 copies and drawn positive reviews.
This was my first book in nearly ten years and I was determined to make it available to as
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22 May 2013
Earlier today I returned to the London studios of ITV This Morning for my regular phone-in legal clinic. Today’s topic was one of the hardy perennials of divorce law: property.
As ever, it was a lively session, with viewers ringing in from round the country for reassurance and advice. I felt there was real urgency to many of the enquiries. What, after
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20 May 2013
Yes, Stowe Family Law now has its own tumblr! With new offices opening and solicitors joining us, our tumblr is a way for our growing team to keep up-to-date with events and developments from elsewhere within the firm. At the same time it is there for everyone to read, from clients past and present to
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Earlier today I appeared on BBC Radio 4 show Woman’s Hour. I am always delighted to receive an invitation to appear on this iconic show. Women have been debating and discussing the finer points of their lives on this radio institution since 1946!
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14 May 2013
In recent months this column has chronicled the travails, opportunities and challenges faced by our profession in 2013 and beyond. In truth, the future faced by high street firms continues to give me cause for concern. Lack of confidence in the economy, an axe-happy government and 'Tesco Law' have come together in a perfect storm. But at least there is one glimmer of hope. I'll bet I'm not the only one
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9 May 2013

Earlier today I appeared on Daybreak, not once but twice! I was invited on at the beginning of the programme and again after the 8 ‘o’ clock news, to discuss a study showing that the rise of smartphones and social media has led to a surge in infidelity and fraud.
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26 April 2013
I am delighted to announce that Stowe Family Law has opened its fifth office, in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
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It is a rare solicitor who doesn't get asked, at some point in his or her career, what it is like to represent someone whom you believe to be guilty, or to whom you have taken a passionate dislike. For family lawyers, the curiosity focuses on the bad eggs. What is it like to represent a bully? A bounder? A so-called gold-digger? When I am asked a question like this, my stock answer is straightforward. Although my day-to-day work brings challenges, it is never my
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The late Margaret Thatcher had a way with words and several of her finest bons mots really appeal to me. “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t” and “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want it done, ask a woman” and so on. There are lots of others available here. If you are a woman at the top of your business and like me, sometimes
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11 March 2013
It has been an unusual week! While we all shiver beneath a winter that seems especially reluctant to give way spring this year, just a few days ago a time capsule was buried beneath the grounds of the still-under-construction JW3 Jewish Community Centre on the
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4 March 2013
The recent case of Re RC and JC concerned the abduction of two young children aged two and three.
The mother was Australian while the father is British by birth but is a permanent resident of Australia. The parties married in Australia and lived in Melbourne until 2010 when they returned to
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Last year, in the summer, I joined my parents and sister (known to blog readers as Aunty Doo Doo) for tea at Bettys in Harlow Carr Gardens, Harrogate. It’s a very pretty place and before I could refuse, my Dad said “Have an egg sandwich with your tea, Marilyn” as he knew I was always dieting. So I gave in and ordered an egg and cress sandwich in brown
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A few weeks ago the government announced a wide-ranging package of family law reforms in the Children and Families Bill, and MPs have their first chance to debate and discuss the measures set out today when the bill reaches it second reading in the House of Commons.
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20 February 2013
When my husband and I remortgaged our home to open our first office in east Leeds 30 years ago, we were determined to stand out and be spotted. We printed leaflets, announcing the arrival of a new law firm. I went out and about, introducing myself to all the local businesses, banks, estate agents and shopkeepers. We
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