Our regular family podcasts are your chance to hear directly from our legal experts on all the latest insights impacting our clients and community. Special guests including other family experts, clients and colleagues share their experiences and guidance to help shine a light on key issues you need to know about.
Mediation or court? How to divorce more amicably
There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to divorce, and each separation will take a different path, but how do you decide the best approach to take?
When a marriage comes to an end, every choice can feel overwhelming, particularly if children are involved. Whether it's mediation or court, knowing the options that are available to you from the outset can avoid additional cost and time, and ultimately provide better outcomes.
Coming together to consider the benefits and drawbacks of each are Zahra Pabani, Clare Wiseman and Claire Filer, Partners in our family law team, and Laura Heaton, Barrister from 29 Bedford Row Chambers. In the podcast they discuss:
- Navigating the international implications of the divorce process
- The increase in alternative dispute resolution methods
- The options available to separating couples
- Benefits of court vs mediation cases.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Captivate.FM
Love, marriage and money
In the run up to Valentine's Day, Family law expert Zahra Pabani is joined by a panel of guests to talk everything love, marriage and money. Along with Marie Kilgallen from our family law team, Zahra also welcomes Rachel Maclynn, Founder and CEO of matchmaking agency the Vida Consultancy, and Sophie Foxton, a wedding planner from Gorcott Hall in Warwickshire.
They discuss:
- How the matchmaking process works, especially in later life
- Keeping yourself financially secure in relationships
- Starting the conversation for pre- and post-nuptial agreements.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Captivate.FM
Family disputes and mediation – the impact on children, and financial arrangements
Family disputes can be complex and difficult especially when dealing with the impact on children and financial arrangements.
But mediation can be a very effective way to resolve disputes amicably.
Our Family law expert, Zahra Pabani, is joined by our family mediator and ex-BBC broadcaster, Joanna Gosling and our family lawyers Anna Chenoweth and Vandna Sharma. Together they discuss how to prepare for mediation and how to make the most of the mediation process when dealing with finances and child arrangements. They discuss:
- The importance of mediation when going through a separation
- The common issues that arise during a mediation
- Advice when going through the financial arrangements in a mediation
- How to prepare for family mediation.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Captivate.FM
The importance of counselling across private client disputes
From dealing with a dispute over a loved one’s estate to going through the process of contesting a Will, our panel of experts sit down to discuss the importance of our counselling and coaching service. In this episode of the Irwin Mitchell Podcast, host and family law Partner, Zahra Pabani is joined by Client Counsellor, Vicky Lambert, Associate Solicitor, Nicola Hawkins and Solicitor, Elliot Booth. During the episode, the panel covers a range of topics including:
- The value of having an in-house counselling and coaching service available to clients during a legal dispute
- How counselling can be an integral part of a legal journey, allowing clients to properly process a range of emotions including grief
- The difference between counselling and coaching
- How the service compliments our legal experts, allowing them to focus on getting the best outcome possible.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Captivate.FM.
If you’re experiencing change within your family relationships, talking to our specialist Counsellor and Coach could help. On our latest podcast episode, our experts discuss the benefits of our new counselling service. Host Zahra Pabani is joined by our Client Counseller, Vicky Lambert, Senior Associate, Fiona Farrell and 4PB Barrister, Rhiannon Lloyd. The panel provide expert insight on topics including:
- How counselling can provide comprehensive support to those with a family law issue
- How Vicky can tailor her support to clients needs
- Providing clients with a greater understanding of the emotions they're feeling
- The importance of choice through providing other services like counselling.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Captivate.FM
Mediation - The way forward!
An expert panel joins our podcast host and family law partner, Zahra Pabani to discuss mediation and the importance of it.
On the panel is founder of, Family Mediation and Mentoring, a bespoke Family Mediation Service, Rachael Oakes. Mills & Reeve Partner and specialist financial and children lawyer, Joanna Grandfield. Mediator and family law partner, Claire Filer.
Together we explore a variety of topics relating to mediation including:
- How hybrid mediation can benefit families
- The increasing importance and popularity of mediation
- Changing mind-sets on mediation
- The role of complex assets in mediation
- How mediation could look moving forward.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Captivate.FM
Finding Love in Later Life - How You Can Protect Yourself Financially and Legally
This Valentine's Day, our family law expert Zahra Pabani explores how to find love in later life, and how you can protect yourself legally and financially.
Join Zahra as she discusses love in later life with Rachel Maclynn, founder of the Vida Consultancy matchmaking agency. Is it a case of head over heart?
Our family lawyer Sarah Balfour and private client lawyer Emma McCann are also in the hot seat, to suggest practical steps around protecting your wealth and your loved ones.
We'll focus on:
- Building connections, matchmaking and helping clients find love for the mature client
- Tools to protect your wealth and loved ones: Wills, Lasting Power of Attorneys, pre- and post-nuptial agreements
- Heart or head? Practical advice to consider when re-marrying and moving in within someone.
Everyone deserves to take that leap of faith again, and find love. But, it’s wise to protect yourself and your loved ones, and move forward with one less worry.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Captivate.FM, or Spotify.
Family disputes can be complex and uncomfortable. But mediation can be a very effective way to resolve these disputes amicably.
Our Family law expert, Zahra Pabani, is joined by family mediator, Claire Colbert, co-founder of the bespoke family mediation service ‘Family Mediation and Mentoring’, and our family lawyer Nicola Walker who leads on alternative dispute resolution. Together they discuss the mediation process, the benefits and how it can empower those seeking a resolution, including:
- Who can benefit from mediation
- The mediation process
- How can we prepare clients for mediation
- Hybrid mediation
- Our new Mediation Support service.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Settling a Case via Financial Dispute Resolution and Early Neutral Evaluation
Host and family law expert Ros Bever chats with Samantha Hillis, valued QC and matrimonial finance specialist at St John's Building. They explore the options available to couples to resolve their issues outside of court, and how this can be beneficial to everyone involved.
The podcast covers:
- What early neutral evaluation is and how it can be used to resolve issues
- How early neutral evaluation works in practice
- How alternative dispute resolution has evolved since the pandemic
- The financial advantage to out of court settlements.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, or Spotify.
Learn more about our family law solicitors' expertise with alternative dispute resolution.
Alternative Dispute Resolution and Cases Involving Children
Our host and family law expert Ros Bever chats with Marie Shaoul, founder and director of Rolling Stone Coaching and also responsible for developing The Co-Parent Way, helping separated couples co-parent together.
They discuss:
- Resolving issues via co-parent coaching and what the benefits are of it
- The impact of early intervention in a dispute and the long-term impact on children
- Exploring the different options of ADR when it comes to cases involving children
- How coaching and supporting mediators and solicitors can help family resolution issues.
Listen now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Learn more about our family law solicitors' expertise with alternative dispute resolution.
We’re leading the way in raising awareness of the options available to couples to amicably resolve their issues outside of court – during this podcast we’ll talk specifically about mediation and pre-nups and how they work in a mediation setting.
Join our host and family law expert Ros Bever as she chats with Joanna Grandfield, partner and head of the family team in London at Mills & Reeve.
Listen now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Read more about how we can help with pre- and post-nuptial agreements
Divorce - Let's Do It Differently
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is becoming an increasingly popular choice for couples to amicably resolve issues outside of court. However our recent survey highlighted that 39% of divorcees were not aware of the alternative options.
Our family law expert Ros Bever is joined by:
- Joshua Rozenburg, Britain's most experience legal commentator
- Lord Wilson, a former Justice of the UK Supreme Court
- Janet Bazley, QC at 1GC, Gillian Bishop, consultant at Flip
- Nicholas Allen, QC at 29 Bedford Row.
Together, they discuss the different options available to help resolve family disputes amicably outside of court and what the industry needs to do to raise awareness of these options.
Listen now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Learn more about our family law solicitors' expertise with alternative dispute resolution.
How To Find Love in Lockdown, and How To Protect Yourself When You Do
Our host and family law expert Zahra Pabani explores how to find love in lockdown, and how to protect yourself when you do.
Join Zahra as she chats with Rachel Maclynn, founder of exclusive matchmaking agency the Vida Consultancy, about how she works with clients to help build connections and ultimately make love matches.
Zahra is also joined by Annabel Bosman, Head of Relationship Management for the Royal Bank of Canada, who's sharing her experiences of how her clients deal with new love and protecting their wealth.
We'll focus on:
- The psychology of matchmaking, and how to help clients find love - particularly during lockdown
- How to protect your wealth and investments when embarking on a new relationship
- Legal wealth protection tools such as Living Together Agreements and pre- and post-nuptial agreements.
Listen now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts or Spotify and read more about how our family law team can help you.
The Impact of Divorce in Later Life
Leaving a marriage in later life, whether through divorce or separation, isn't a step that people take lightly. But it's something we're seeing more of with every year that passes.
Our latest podcast focusses on the emotional, financial and legal issues that come with separating in later life, and how those affected can protect themselves.
This week’s host is Zahra Pabani, a Partner in our family law team. She’s joined by fellow family lawyer Sarah Balfour, tax trust and estates specialist Emma McCann, and guest Maggie Cork. Maggie is a psychologist and director of Maggie Cork and Associates, which provides consultancy and coaching in health and social care, alongside medico-legal and clinical services.
In this podcast we focus on:
- The emotional effect and impact on individuals in later life when going through a divorce
- The legal options and financial issues that require careful consideration
- The steps individuals can do to protect themselves emotionally, financially and legally.
Listen to our podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, or Spotify.
Moving in Together: Traps, Pitfalls and Protection
Moving in together is a big step for many couples. The stamp duty holiday, introduced in June 2020, makes it easier for people to get on the property ladder.
In our latest podcast we take an in-depth look at the state of the housing market right now, the impact of lockdown and what you should consider before buying a property.
Jeremy Raj, our National Head of Residential Property, is joined in this podcast by:
- Deborah Levy, family law solicitor
- Emma McCann from our Tax, Trusts & Estates team,
- Natasha Furman, Chartered Surveyor at Winkworth Estate & Letting Agents.
Listen now to find out about:
- The traps that many fall into and how you can protect yourself and your property
- The difference between being joint tenants or tenants in common, and why it matters
- The housing market during a pandemic and why planning for the unexpected is more important than ever before
- What exactly pre and post-nups are and why they can be so valuable
Listen to our podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean or Overcast.
Want to learn more buying a property? Visit our Conveyancing and Property section or contact a member of our team to find out how we can help.
No-Fault Divorce - What the end to the ‘blame game’ means for couples
In June 2020, parliament passed a new law introducing no-fault divorce – the first time divorce law has changed in fifty years.
For our first episode, our family law specialists Zahra Pabani and Tara Smith discuss the announcement with Marcie Shaoul, founder and family coach at Rolling Stone Coaching.
We’ll reveal:
- The impact on family law as a whole
- What the end to the ‘blame game’ means for couples
- The benefits for families.
Listen to our no-fault divorce podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Overcast.
You can also download our No-Fault Divorce podcast as an mp3
Want to learn more? Read our no-fault divorce FAQs
