Many solicitors are anticipating the legal aid cuts with an increasing sense of doom, says Cara Nuttall
In the family law field, the government is hoping for a migration to mediation. This suggestion is optimistic. I doubt it emanated from someone with significant experience of family law, and the effect a family breakdown can have upon reason and emotions, especially if unchecked by an impartial advisor.
There are, of course, cases which are ripe for mediation. Far more common are cases which will eventually be appropriate for mediation, but only once expectations and emotions have first been managed through legal advice.
Family law is a topic about which there is untold confusion, myths and half-truths among the public. Huge numbers of litigants appear hopelessly misinformed as to their rights and responsibilities. Many clients need support, reassurance and encouragement to pursue even their most basic entitlements. Others, of course, need talking down from the ceiling. Without a realistic and accurate understanding of their position and options, there is widespread concern about the extent to which individuals will be able even to request family justice,
