Over the past decade, the number of parents opting for surrogacy in England and Wales has nearly quadrupled. However, there’s a common misconception that surrogacy is illegal in the UK.

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mills & Reeve Head of Fertility Law, Colin Rogerson and Principal Associate Rose-Marie Drury. Together, they discuss surrogacy arrangements in the UK, how things like expenses are dealt with and the importance of parental orders. They also share their top tips for surrogates and parents-to-be to successfully navigate the surrogacy process.

If you'd like to find out more about our surrogacy lawyers, visit: https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/surrogacy-and-fertility-law/surrogacy

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Glossary:

Surrogate – the person who carries a pregnancy for another individual or couple
Intended parents – the individual or couple who intend to be the parents of the child
Gestational surrogacy – the surrogate is not genetically related to the child e.g. their egg is not used
Traditional surrogacy – the surrogate’s egg is used and they are genetically related to the child

The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that 2.1 million people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending to March 2023. But does domestic abuse have to involve violent or physical abuse?

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mills & Reeve Principal Associates Claire Burton and Claudia Gilham.  Together they discuss what we mean when we talk about domestic abuse, how the media portrays victims and perpetrators, what to do if you find yourself in an abusive relationship and how domestic abuse impacts children.

If you'd like to find out more about how we can help you, visit: https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/domestic-abuse or check out the resources below.

Resources:

• Domestic Abuse Act 2021 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/17/contents/enacted
• Claire’s blog: “Netflix and Chill” – How film and binge-watching can impact your understanding of domestic abuse - https://www.mills-reeve.com/insights/blogs/family-and-children/april-2023/how-film-can-impact-understanding-domestic-abuse
• Women's Aid - https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
• Refuge: https://refuge.org.uk/

When couples with children separate, the main concern revolves around child arrangements. The perception amongst mothers and fathers is that mothers always get custody of the children after separation, but is it true?

In this episode, Tim and Jen are joined by Mills & Reeve Principal Associate Claire Burton, discussing child arrangements and reaching an agreement or going to court about your children following a separation. 

Claire has expertise in cases involving children and where there are allegations of alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse. You can find more about Claire and how she can support you here: https://www.mills-reeve.com/people/claire-burton

To find out more about our children lawyers, you can visit our website https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/children

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Dealing with finances during a divorce can be quite complex and will often involve going to court to deal with the asset split. We’ve all seen TV shows portraying what happens in court during a divorce case, where the opposite party comes up with last-minute evidence. But is this the same in real life?

In this episode, Tim and Jen will discuss the process a couple will follow when trying to divide their assets on divorce, as specifically what happens when a court application is made.

To find out more about finances on divorce and splitting assets please visit: https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/divorce/financial-settlement

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mills-reeve-family-and-children, and don’t forget to subscribe and rate our podcast.

Dealing with finances on divorce is often the most complicated part of a divorce. Many people assume that in a divorce the financial assets are split 50/50. But is that true?

In this episode, Tim and Jen demystify the 50/50 asset split myth and discuss how the courts treat finances on divorce: what is the role of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, what are the orders the court can make and what are the different stages of sorting out your finances during a divorce.

To find out more about divorce and financial settlement and how our team can help please visit: https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/divorce/financial-settlement

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mills-reeve-family-and-children, and don’t forget to subscribe and rate our podcast.

Getting divorced is an unfamiliar, unsettling and upsetting process for many people. But since the introduction of the “No fault” divorce laws, does the reason for ending a marriage impact the divorce proceedings?

In this episode, Tim and Jen discuss divorce: the process of legally ending a marriage in England and Wales, the requirements, the court application and timings, and what to consider.

To find out more about getting divorced and how our team can help please visit: https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/divorce

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates, and don’t forget to subscribe and rate our podcast.

Are prenups unromantic? In this episode, Tim and Jen discuss prenuptial agreements: what misconceptions there are, the benefits, what you need to consider and how to introduce them to your partner.

You can read more about how to introduce the topic of prenups to your partner here: Next generation focus: Discussing marital agreements

To find out more about our prenuptial agreements and how our team can help visit our website.

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In this episode, Tim and Jen discuss mediation. What is mediation and is it really only suitable for simple and straightforward cases?

Tim, as well as being a family lawyer, is an accredited family mediator and has a wide range of experience mediating both children and financial issues. Jen will approach this topic from a family lawyer's perspective and how lawyers can support their clients through the mediation process.

To find out more about our mediation services, visit our website https://www.mills-reeve.com/services/family-and-children/separate-well-together/mediation.
Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mills-reeve-family-and-children.

In this short episode, our hosts Tim Whitney and Jen Curtis introduce themselves and talk a bit more about their job and their journey into family law.

You can find out more and get in touch with our hosts by visiting our website:

Jennifer Curtis
Tim Whitney

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