Future of family law discussed at National Young Resolution conference

The future leaders of family law came together earlier this month for this year’s National Young Resolution Conference.

Organised by Thrings Associate Zhenja Cann, who currently serves as Co-Chair of the National Young Resolution (YRes) Committee, the event focused on the changing landscape of the sector with discussions on law reform for unmarried couples, prenuptial agreements and the importance of wellbeing and inclusivity for junior practitioners.

Founded in 1982, Resolution is a national organisation with members from across the family law sector that works towards delivering non-confrontational approaches to achieving better outcomes for separating families and their children. Its network for family law professionals at the start of their careers, YRes gives members access to expertise with peers and colleagues that benefits not only their firms but their clients across the country.

Almost 200 young family practitioners from across the UK attended the event, held at the Hilton Tower Bridge in London, to hear a range of expert talks, including:

• A reminder on the basics of pensions and what to ask for when deciding how to divide pensions following divorce;
• A spotlight discussion on cohabitation reform, highlighting what potential reform by the Labour government could look like based on other jurisdictional models and the impact this may have on faith/religious communities;
• Tips and traps of nuptial agreements and recent updates on the law;
• A panel of senior practitioners considering “things they wished they knew” at the start of their career, focusing on wellbeing, opportunities for change and hopefulness for the future of family law;
• An update on the changes this year surrounding out of court dispute resolution, how the courts are dealing with non-compliance and what more could be done to encourage settlement outside of court;
• A discussion on the importance of building resilience and avoiding burn out, as well as using breathwork to manage stress.

Also on the agenda was an interview, held by Zhenja, with Resolution’s Rising Star Award winner Natasha Khalique from Exchange Chambers, who inspired the audience with her incredible story about moving from a career in biology to law and the importance of diversity and representation.

Zhenja Cann, Associate in the Thrings Family team and Co-Chair of the Nation Young Resolution committee, said: “It was fantastic to have such a strong turnout for this year’s conference and have such a diverse cohort of young practitioners ready to engage on the issues that will play a big role in their future career development.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of Resolution which is at the forefront of the changes and leading the way for the future of family law. Our aim as committee members is to ensure every young practitioner has the best possible start to their career and has a community behind them. The continued growth we are seeing demonstrates the support we are seeing from more senior practitioners to supporting future generations in their development.

“I’m looking forward to next year, my second as Co-Chair, which will see a focus on our Code of Conduct and how we can help juniors to flourish in their roles and build a career that is focused on providing the best possible service for their clients.”

Thrings Family lawyers are experienced in all areas of the law that are close to home. Whether it is marriages and pre-nuptial agreements, or divorces and separations, they will put your best interests first, taking the time to get to know you so that you are supported with sound advice tailored to your needs. To find out more, get in contact.