The Today's Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes co-founder and Head of Innovation at Family Law Partners Alan Larkin on to discuss his vision for family law.

Through his career Larkin has championed access to justice, and the evolution of client experience; and the use of technology to support these objectives - work which has recently been recognised with the award of an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton for his sustained impact on the legal profession

A late bloomer in law, Larkin joined the profession aged 35 having come from the voluntary sector. Frustrated by the lack of technology in family law he set about using it to redesign legal processes to better serve individuals navigating family breakdowns; leading to the design of the first versions of onboarding platform. Nova Engage.

He describes how the traditional first consultation—often dominated by lengthy questioning—can be overwhelming for clients in distress; an issue technology can play its part of solving, although he is at pains to point out technology doesn’t replace lawyers but enhances their ability to connect with clients. Instead technology provides a “soft landing,” reducing stress and improving cognitive engagement during consultations.

The law should still be conducted by lawyers says Larkin, but software can offer contextual guidance and reassurance, enabling the lawyer to focus on the legal work.

Much work remains on access to justice, particularly when it comes to the public's understanding of the law. Larkin notes that most people are unaware of alternatives to court, despite the existence of multiple dispute resolution models. He advocates for using technology to scale public awareness and promote collaborative, non-adversarial approaches.

The Today's Family Lawyer podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider and at www.todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk.

Subscribe to Today's Family Lawyer to receive our FREE weekly newsletter, out every Thursday and listen in to the podcast to hear all the latest news and views from across the family law sector. Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors; LexTox, Northgene™ and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

The latest episode of Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast welcomes on Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner at Watkins Solicitors and Vice Chair of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group to discuss the impact of the Legal Aid Agency cyber attack on her firm, and the wider legal aid community.

The Legal Aid Agency revealed as many as 2 million records dating back 2007 had been hacked back in May of this year; with the details of those affected particularly sensitive in cases of domestic abuse and vulnerable clients.

For firms, the closure of the LAA portal left them unable to submit bills or process amendments digitally, forcing a return to paper-based applications. This sudden shift created confusion, especially among younger staff accustomed to digital workflows. Emergency measures allowed firms to handle urgent cases, but routine work stalled, leaving many clients unrepresented.

The impact on clients was profound as Watkins notes that some victims of domestic abuse and families in care proceedings were forced to attend court without legal support.

Legal aid firms, already operating on razor-thin margins, couldn't bill for months, in some cases threatening their very survival. In the course of the discussion, Watkins candidly shares her fear of missing payroll and the need to seek support from her bank. While contingency payments—based on historical averages—provided temporary relief, they introduced accounting complexities and deferred VAT liabilities. The looming administrative burden when the portal reopens is another major concern, as firms anticipate a flood of backlogged claims and potential delays in reimbursement.

Not only that, the cyber attack compounded the stress within sector who have seen legal aid rates effectively regress. Watkins warns that some firms have stopped taking emergency cases, fearing non-payment, which could exacerbate risks for vulnerable individuals. Staff resilience has been commendable, but uncertainty persists, fuelling doubts about the sustainability of legal aid work.

Needless to say Watkins' view is to better fund legal aid, more sustainably. But more broadly the LAA cyber attack is more than a technical failure—it is a catalyst for critical reflection on the viability of legal aid. As Watkins emphasizes, society must decide whether it values equal access to justice, because without urgent reform and investment, the future of legal aid—and the clients who depend on it—remains uncertain.

The Today's Family Lawyer podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider and at www.todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk.

Subscribe to Today's Family Lawyer to receive our FREE weekly newsletter, out every Thursday and listen in to the podcast to hear all the latest news and views from across the family law sector. Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors; LexTox, Northgene™ and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

In this episode of the Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast, host David Opie is joined by Peter Burgess, Founding Partner at Burgess Mee Family Law, and Hannah Budd, Partner at the Rosefield Divorce Consultancy, to explore a new collaboration designed to reshape how family law professionals support clients in crisis.

The conversation centres on “Within the Window,” a trauma-informed framework developed to help clients navigate separation and divorce with greater emotional safety and clarity. Drawing on clinical insights and frontline experience, Peter and Hannah explain how trauma responses—such as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—can profoundly affect decision-making, communication, and courtroom behaviour. Rather than treating these reactions as obstacles, their approach integrates them into strategy, preparation, and client care.

By delivering in-house training and empowering the firm's lawyers, Burgess Mee have embedded trauma-awareness into their practice, providing tools for the team to help clients like breathing exercises and grounding techniques tailored for key moments in proceedings. The collaboration also bridges the gap between legal and therapeutic support, ensuring clients receive consistent, coordinated guidance—especially when preparing for high-stakes events like hearings or fact-finding sessions.

Importantly, the episode doesn’t shy away from the realities of high-conflict cases. While non-court dispute resolution is ideal, Peter and Hannah emphasise that some clients—due to personality disorders, abuse histories, or complex dynamics—require a more robust, trauma-informed legal pathway.

This episode offers a fresh lens on how empathy, strategy, and collaboration can coexist—delivering better outcomes for clients and a more humane experience for all involved.

The Today's Family Lawyer podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider and at www.todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk.

Subscribe to Today's Family Lawyer to receive our FREE weekly newsletter, out every Thursday and listen in to the podcast to hear all the latest news and views from across the family law sector. Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors; LexTox, Northgene™ and VacantC Legal Recruitment.