The Family Law Pod from St John’s Chambers

Matrimonialisation: A sea change or a storm in a tea cup?

Bethany Scarsbrook and Georgina Swinglehurst of St John's Chambers Family & Divorce team grapple with the topical issue of when an asset is deemed to have become matrimonialised. They consider the case law leading up to Standish v Standish [2024] EWCA Civ 567, before analysing whether the Court of Appeal decision fell into error, and considering the extent of the potential ramifications, particularly in light of the pending appeal to the UKSC.

What is the position on domestic abuse as ‘conduct’ in financial remedy proceedings?

In this episode Sophie Smith-Holland and Chelsea Bartlett will discuss the implications of the case N v J [2024] EWFC 184, in respect of if and how to run domestic abuse allegations as ‘conduct’ in financial remedy proceedings.

From parental alienation to alienating behaviours

In this episode, Sarah Phillimore and Asha Groves take a look at the recent shift away from the label of parental alienation and towards a definition of alienating behaviours in case law and guidance. They consider how to approach these cases in practice both now and in the future with particular consideration of the use of unregulated experts in this area.

Costs in Financial Remedy Proceedings

In this podcast, Jack Harris and Vivien Croly of our Family & Divorce team discuss the topic of costs in financial remedy proceedings, including a refresher on the different costs regimes and their application, top tips when preparing for, or engaging with, an application for costs, and an overview of some specific costs-related caselaw.

Cases discussed here

50 Years at the Bar: Christopher Sharp KC

On the approach to his fiftieth anniversary at the Bar, St John’s Chambers founder Christopher Sharp KC talks to Ben Handy about his distinguished career, reflecting on life as a pupil in the 70s, the changes and developments he has seen over the decades, the cases he has won (and lost!), what St John’s means to him, and his plans for the next 50 years.

Learning Disabled Parents in Care Proceedings

In this podcast, Abigail Bond and Sarah Phillimore of St John's Chambers Family & Divorce team discuss the issues relating to learning disabled parents in care proceedings and what has changed in approach and practice over the past 20 years. They will also look at how far we have come since the The Good Practice Guidance on Working with Learning Disabled Parents published in 2007.

Domestic abuse in financial remedy proceedings

In this podcast, Jack Harris and Vivien Croly of St John's Chambers Family & Divorce team look at domestic abuse in financial remedy proceedings.

Vulnerability in children and financial proceedings

In this podcast, Lucy Reed KC and Jacqueline Humphreys of St John's Chambers Family & Divorce team review the developing law on participation directions under Pt3A of the Family Proceeding Rules to better achieve access to justice for vulnerable people, and consider how principles that are mainly being worked out in the context of children proceedings can and should also be applied within financial remedy proceedings.