Opinions

Jo Edwards appears on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff to explain the legal position of unmarried couples

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in McLaughlin, the panel took calls from members of the public about whether the law should recognise cohabiting couples.

Jo explained their lack of rights at the moment and attempts to change the law.

Jo Edwards interviewed on Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Radio 5 Live Drive Time and BBC Radio Wales Breakfast to discuss the McLaughlin judgment and the lack of rights for unmarried couples

Jo Edwards, Head of Family discussed the Supreme Court judgment in favour of Siobhan McLaughlin, that refusing her and her four children bereavement benefits because she was not married to her late partner was discriminatory and a breach of human rights.

Jo Edwards quoted in The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Times and The Times Brief, welcoming the McLaughlin judgement as a ‘common sense’ ruling

The news that the Supreme Court had ruled that not allowing a cohabiting mother to claim bereavement payments, after her partner passed away, was discriminatory and a breach of human rights was published in The Guardian, The Financial Times,

Jo Edwards appeared on BBC News, ITV News and Channel 4 News to discuss the Supreme Court ruling that denying widow bereavement benefit from an unmarried partner was discriminatory and a breach of human rights

Head of Family, Jo Edwards appeared on BBC 5 o’clock News, ITV News Weekday Lunchtime and Teatime and Channel 4 News on the day that the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Siobhan McLaughlin. Ms McLaughlin was denied access to widowed parent’s allowance, after her partner died, because they were not married. The couple had lived together for 23 years and had four children.

Jo Edwards writes for iNews on the rise in death-bed marriages and how the law is failing cohabiting couples

Head of Family, Jo Edwards wrote an opinion piece for the iNews entitled “Death-bed marriages are on the rise – the law is failing cohabiting couples.”

Jo Edwards quoted in The Guardian calling for more legal rights for cohabiting couples

The Guardian published two articles, one published online entitled the “Rise in deathbed weddings prompts call to protect cohabiting couples” and the other in print entitled “Give more legal rights to cohabiting couples, lawyers urge Government”.

Jo Edwards discusses no-fault divorce on BBC Radio 4

Head of Family, Jo Edwards appeared on BBC Radio 4’s iPM radio show hosted by Luke Jones.

Fiona Smith discusses lasting powers of attorney on BBC Radio 5

Private Wealth partner, Fiona Smith discussed lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) on BBC Radio 5’s Afternoon Edition.

A flea in the experts’ ear

A recent judgement in the TCC (Imperial Chemical Industries Limited v Merit Merrell Technology Limited) contains some strident criticism of the experts giving evidence in the trial.  In addition, although the Judge (Fraser J) reserves his most direct criticism for the experts, he was clearly unimpressed with the lawyers who had instructed them.  There are therefore lessons both for experts and

Jonathan Lyness writes for Attitude and Qweerist on civil partnerships and the lack of rights for cohabiting couples in the context of the LGBT community

Soon-to-be-qualified lawyer in the Family team, Jonathan Lyness wrote alongside Gary Yan, a partner at Coote Family Law in Melbourne, on a number of family law issues relating to same-sex couples.