News Archive 2009
Ups and Downs: Variation of Maintenance Orders
 When an ancillary relief order is made it may contain provision for one party to pay the other spousal maintenance (or “periodical payments”). This is usually for a defined amount per month or it may be expressed as a percentage of the payer’s income. The level of maintenance will be based, amongst other things, on the parties’ needs as assessed at the time the order was made and their financial resources. But what if the circumstances of the parties change after the order is made? For example, what if the payer loses his or her job? Or the payee finds that they are struggling to make ends meet? [more]
Accidents at school: Should you hop, skip, and jump down to your local solicitor after a playground injury?
 Autumn is upon us and it’s the start of another academic year. With a 7 year old boy recently being reported in the press as Britain’s youngest skydiver, traditionally risky activities are becoming increasingly accessible to children. But when it comes to school life, can children have a bit of rough and tumble in the playground or does our legal system wrap pupils in cotton wool, allowing the ‘compensation culture’ to cross the school gates? Victoria Gallanders investigates. [more]
October 2009 – Legal 500 recognises Osbornes’ Family Department
Osbornes has again been recognised by the Legal 500 as one of the leading family law firms in London.
The Legal 500, published this month, is one of the leading independent directories of law firms in the UK. They have this to say about Osbornes:-
“The ‘excellent’ Osbornes is consistently recommended by market observers and regularly receives referrals from high-ranking competitors.”
Both Julian Beard (Head of Department) and Naomi Angell (international adoption) are recommended.
All roads lead to Rome…but what if you have an accident en route?
It’s official – the long hot summer that we were promised has turned out to be something of a damp squib. With some foreign travel companies even providing sunshine guarantees on their holidays, it’s no wonder that despite the exchange rates, British holiday makers are changing their pounds for Euros and Dollars and heading abroad for some warm weather. But if you decide to take your car across the channel, or go on a fly-drive holiday, it’s important to know the rules of the road in your destination. Victoria Gallanders looks at how you should prepare before driving abroad, and what you should do if you’re unfortunate enough to have an accident in a foreign land. [more]
To pre or not to pre
 The question “should I get a pre-nup?” is one that has caused suffering to the minds of many a matrimonial lawyer. The issue of the importance of pre nuptial agreements has again been considered by the Courts in England. In July of this year the Court of Appeal was asked to consider the case of Radmacher v Granatino. This is the latest of a number of recent cases (such as Crossley v Crossley and MacLeod v MacLeod) where Judges have considered the impact of pre nuptial agreements on divorces. The Court in Radmacher v Granatino was persuaded that the pre-nuptial agreement should have a significant bearing on the order made. The position, although still not altogether clear, is now that if the pre-nuptial agreement was made fairly and without breaching the UK’s laws regarding contract then it will have a significant effect on any final order. [more]
Christmas Contact
Christmas is important parenting time. When couples separate, it can be very difficult to reach an agreement on how that time with the children is shared fairly. Unfortunately, one or other party can lose sight of the fact that they should be putting the children and their needs first, and many other factors can come into play: guilt, jealously, emotional hurt, to name but a few, can be the drivers. A good place to start if there are difficulties in agreeing contact, is the Resolution Parenting after Parting workshops which are being run in the London area in evenings on weekends. You can find further information by calling in to our reception to collect a Parenting after Parting leaflet or online at www.resolution.org.uk/parentingafterparting. [more]
New Qualifiers
  Osbornes is pleased to announce that following the successful completion of their training contracts, Michael Cockings has joined the personal injury department and Emily Lund has joined the conveyancing department.
Osbornes is committed to investing in people for the future and is proud of the fact that many of its solicitors, from Michael and Emily up to and including many of the partners, trained here.
Surrogacy explained
 Naomi Angell of Osbornes explains the finer details of surrogacy
SARAH JESSICA PARKER is now the proud mother of twins following a surrogacy arrangement and the subject of surrogacy as a way for childless couples to have a family has hit the headlines again. The advantage of surrogacy over adoption is that a couple will be able to have a very young baby who is likely to be biologically related to one or both of them. Surrogacy in this country is within the law, but not as a commercial transaction. It is unlawful for a surrogate mother to advertise her services or for a childless couple to advertise that they are looking for a surrogate to bear a baby for them. However,there are voluntary organisations such as COTS who are able to help. [more]
Find me a family
Naomi Angell of Osbornes takes us through the adoption process
THE RECENT TV PROGRAMME Find me a Family focussed on the problems in finding adoptive families for the hard to place children in the care system who struggle to find a family to call their own.
The starting point for people thinking of adoption is often a baby or toddler so that they can have the closest experience to bringing up their own child. However there are now very few babies available for adoption, with seismic changes in social attitudes towards unmarried mothers,abortion and family structures. [more]
Divorce differently – the collaborative approach
 Lisa Pepper of Osbornes shows how couples can work together for the greater good.
ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED a divorce through the Court process will very likely have an unpleasant experience or two to share at the end of it. Many couples at the outset of proceedings fail to realise that if they choose to fight it out through the courts to the bitter end, their case can take up to two years to come to final trial, at which they will be cross-examined on oath in the witness box, the minutiae of their lives picked over and noted down by strangers. And they will have to pay for it – not only in terms of legal costs, but in terms of the order a Judge makes which may not be favourable to them; they will have no say in the final settlement at that stage, that will be for the Judge to decide. [more]
On 18 May 2009 the Housing team set out once again on the 10K Legal London sponsored walk.
 Osbornes' Housing team were there in force with Shilpa, Ruth, Will, Safiye, Helen and Ross, along with the trainees Rebecca and Ed, walking together in support of this worthy cause.
This is an annual event and the number of walkers further increased this year to a total of over 4,000 people, including members of the judiciary of all seniority.
The purpose of the walk was to help support various London organisations that assist the most needy and vulnerable members of our community in obtaining legal advice. Charitable events such as this annual walk provide vital funds to keep the Law Centres of London open. The Law Centres do excellent work for disadvantaged clients who experience problems that solicitors do not generally deal with.
The team is proud to announce that its final total for sponsorship money raised was over £700 (including Gift Aid) which is a significant increase on last year's total.
Thank you again to everyone who so kindly sponsored us, including the Partners of Osbornes, who gave a generous donation.
The Crook, the Thief, the Wife and her Lawyer.
On 28 January 2009 Osbornes hosted a presentation by two experienced Counsel, Christopher Hames and David Williams on the growing interface between confiscation proceedings and matrimonial proceedings.
Osbornes has acted in a number of Matrimonial Cases and Financial claims under Schedule 1 of Children Act where one of the parties has been involved in Confiscation Proceedings. We have experience of dealing with the Crown Prosecution Service, Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and the Serious Organised Crime Agency. We represented the Wife in the leading case of X v X (Crown Prosecution Service Intervening) 2005.
‘Homes are no longer an asset: they’re a liability’
THESE are bad times for Camden borrowers, big or small. In the past fortnight, lenders have pulled out from two of the biggest developments in the borough – the £2billion King’s Cross railway lands. [more]
Recruitment
At Osbornes we believe
in investment for the future. More |
