Society's News

Corporate Members 2020

3PB Albion Chambers Ashfords Barcan + Kirby Burges Salmon Clarke Willmott Cooke Painter Ltd Clyde & Co DAC Beachcroft Devereux & Co Enterprise Chambers The Family Law Practice Foot Anstey (including Enable Law) Fussell Wright Gregg Latchams Ltd Guildhall Chambers Irwin Mitchell Solicitors Kelcey & Hall Lyons Davidson Marc White & Co Meade King Michelmores LLP MS Rubric Osborne Clarke … more

BLS features in Bristol Post oldest thriving companies in Bristol

Excerpt from the article: How Bristol’s oldest companies are still thriving after more than 100 years in business They include the city’s last-surviving chocolate maker a wine merchant and a tannery. Why do some companies struggle to survive beyond a year while others flourish for hundreds? Although more than 90 per cent of small companies in Britain will survive one … more

No 12, The Meeting Rooms – Conference, Meeting and Mediation Rooms for Hire

Please note that the BLS office is shut to members at present as we continue to work from home during the pandemic. We can be contacted on info@bristollawsociety.com. In the meantime, our office is now operating as the Bristol Nightingale Court and accordingly, we are unable to hire out our facilities until further notice. (Oct 2020) Bristol Law Society’s suite … more

Bristol FR Launch Update from HHJ Cope – 17 Nov 2020

Her Honour Judge Stephanie Cope

Lead Judge for Financial Remedy Work for Bristol

 

Financial Remedy Court

As you know the FR pilot on the Western circuit launched on 1 October 2020. Within this the Bristol Zone covers all financial remedy work for Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Salisbury, Swindon and Weston super Mare.

There is now a list of accredited financial remedy judges and a new allocation process in place.  In addition to the application the court requires a completed allocation questionnaire and, if further information would assist, a letter (no more than one side of A4) to assist appropriate allocation by one of the District Judges at the court where the hearings are likely to take place. Any letter must be no longer than one side of A4 to allow the system to be manageable. Everyone is feeling the pressure of remote working, including court staff and judges. I do not want to overburden the court staff and my colleagues at an already difficult and stressful time. To this end an application submitted without an allocation questionnaire or breaching the ‘one side of A4 rule’ will be returned.

The additional information in the covering letter should simply be a short summary of the case, if indeed this is needed. It should contain sufficient additional information that is not covered by the allocation questionnaire to allow an informed decision on the appropriate judicial allocation and any need for continuity up until the final hearing.

The system is in place for all applications within the Bristol Zone received after 1 October 2020. The applications (and additional documentation) should continue to be sent to the RDC at least for the time being (in due course they will be sent to Bristol for all courts within the Bristol Zone and you will be kept up to date about this). Please share this letter with as many of your colleagues as possible as it appears that not everyone is aware of the FR pilot launch.

The Bristol Financial Remedy Hub has a dedicated email address monitored by staff trained in financial remedy work – allowing court users to communicate directly with the court (BristolFRC.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk).

Finally, despite the disruption and difficulties presented by Covid-19, financial remedy work remains well suited to take place remotely. This potentially includes some final hearings. Everyone is to be commended for embracing the technology and I hope we will all continue to develop our skills to ensure as many hearings as possible are effective.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation.

Best wishes

Her Honour Judge Stephanie Cope

17 November 2020