News
Resolution conference
April 2013
Resolution, the organisation for family lawyers founded by John Cornwell, held its 25th annual conference in Stratford upon Avon on 11-13 April 2013. Lucy Marks, Kate Allen and Stephen Harker from Dawson Cornwell were in attendance. During her speech at the gala dinner on Friday night the Chair of Resolution Liz Edwards announced a new annual award for a solicitor who has demonstrated outstanding work in support of separating families. John Cornwell was named as first recipient and the award was collected in his memory by his wife Claire Veillard who also attended the dinner.
Building Families Show
6th April 2013
Dawson Cornwell were delighted to have been the sole UK legal sponsor of the Building Families Show which took place at the Hilton London Metropole on Saturday 6th April 2013 at which Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke about the legal framework in the UK for bringing a surrogate child here from overseas and securing a parenting order in the British courts.
Polish Embassy
March 2013
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and Sarah Benhadj both spoke at a seminar entitled "Children’s rights – international aspects. Co-operation of Polish and British institutions" held at the Polish Embassy in London on 21 March 2013.
John Cornwell
March 2013
John Cornwell, our senior partner and one of the founding partners of the firm, died on 22 February 2013 after being ill for some time. All of us at Dawson Cornwell were hugely saddened by this awful news and the office will not be the same without him. His funeral took place at Christ Church Spitalfields on 6 March 2013 and was attended by in excess of 400 people. A number of obituaries have been published.
London Superlawyers
March 2013
Thomson Reuters has published its list of superlawyers in Super Lawyers Magazine. Dawson Cornwell are proud that Kate Allen, Rhiannon Lewis and Russell Bywater were all named in the family law section with Carolina Marín Pedreño noted as a rising star in family law. Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was not only named a super lawyer but made it into the London Top 100 and the London Top 50 Women.
XX Annual meeting of AEAFA (Spanish Association of Family Lawyers)
8th and 9th March 2013
Carolina Marín Pedreño was invited by the Executive Committee of AEAFA to address them at their XX Annual meeting held in Madrid on 8th and 9th March 2013, about Alternative Disputes Resolution in England and Wales.
The summary, edited by Carmen Varela, Abogada from Barcelona, mentions the presentation of Carolina Marín Pedreño.
European Family Justice Observatory
March 2013
The European Family Justice Observatory invited Carolina Marín Pedreño to participate in their training project with a video dealing with cross border family matters from a European perspective.
Abandoned Spouses
February 2013
Read about the plight of women abandoned in India and Pakistan by foreign spouses in an article by Roma Rajpal.
Religious Arbitration
February 2013
Dawson Cornwell recently acted for a husband in a ground-breaking case where the court endorsed the parties’ mutual desire to have financial and child related issues decided in a religious court. Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE of Dawson Cornwell commented that this was highly signficant and could have implications for other faiths.
Third annual Peter Clark prize
January 2013
On 16 January 2013 Tania Afrin, winner of the third annual Peter Clark Prize, was presented with the £2,000 award at Dawson Cornwell’s offices.
This award was established in honour of Peter Clark, a partner at Dawson Cornwell from 1993 until his death in April 2010. Managing partner Stephen Harker said: "In providing a young aspiring family lawyer with this award and the internship at Dawson Cornwell we hope to help them along the road to qualification and remember Peter Clark our partner whose contribution to the field of family law was immense."
BSLA
January 2013
Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks have been elected respectively as secretary and committee member of the British Spanish Lawyers’ Association at their Annual General Meeting held on 17th January 2013 at Lincoln’s Inn.
IKWRO True Honour Awards 2012
December 2012
Dawson Cornwell were delighted to be able to co-sponsor the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation's 2012 True Honour Awards with 7 Bedford Row. The Award Ceremony was held at 7 Bedford Row and among the nominees for the two True Honour Awards for 2012 was Wendy Ramus of Dawson Cornwell nominated for her work in the field of Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriage.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was pleased to be among the Judges on the selection panel for the True Honour Awards.
Buckingham Palace
December 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE attends a reception held at Buckingham Palace.
40th anniversary
November 2012
Dawson Cornwell celebrated its 40th anniversary with a dinner at the Savile Club on 20th November 2012 attended by the partners and a number of people historically connected with the firm.
The 1996 Hague Convention
November 2012
Follow the link to Family Law Week and read an article by Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and Richard Kwan of Dawson Cornwell with Eleri Jones, a barrister at 1 Garden Court, entitled "The 1996 Hague Convention: The Fourth Dimension".
25th LAWASIA Conference
November 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and Rhiannon Lewis both attended the 25th LAWASIA Conference in Bali; whose current President is Malathi Das of Singapore, on 18-21 November 2012.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson spoke at the Family Law session on the 1996 Hague Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children which came into effect in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2012. The session was chaired by Tiong Liang Yap of Singapore.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson and Rhiannon Lewis also participated as judges at the 7th LAWASIA International Moot Competition 2012 which was won by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Stonewall Awards 2012
November 2012
Colin Rogerson and Sarah Benhadj were the guests of Square Peg Media amongst over 450 guests at the Stonewall Awards 2012.
The delightful event, which was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum was hosted by Gok Wan who marked the celebration and acknowledgment of gay, lesbian and bisexual television personalities who have had a positive impact, through the media, in promoting equality and diversity.
Beverley Knight, Charlie Condu and Vanessa Feltz were amongst the many personalities who attended to offer their support. Some of the winners, which were chosen by a panel of celebrities, included Sue Perkins, who won the award for entertainer of the year and Ruth Davidson who picked up the award for politician of the year.
Child Abduction Article
October 2012
Carolina Marín Pedreño quoted in Mail Online article about a recent child abduction case.
Spanish Association of Family Lawyers
October 2012
On 22 October 2012, the Spanish Association of Family lawyers (AEAFA) published an article written by Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks on the effect of cohabitation on spousal maintenance.
Family Law Awards 2012
October 2012
John Cornwell and Anne-Marie Hutchinson both won awards at the Family Law Awards 2012 organised by Jordans Publishing Limited.
John Cornwell's award was for his outstanding contribution to the field of family law which had involved the founding of Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association) and his subsequent introduction and development of mediation and co-founding of the Family Mediation Association.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE won her award as International Family Lawyer of the Year.
The award ceremony took place at The Hilton, Park Lane and was attended by over 300 family lawyers.
ABA CLE Conference
October 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson and Colin Rogerson both attended and spoke on the Assisted Reproductive Technologies Program at the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association CLE Conference in Philadelphia, USA in October 2012.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson spoke on a panel on how to address the issue of international recognition of parenthood of children born through surrogacy and Colin spoke about the employment leaves of absence available to intended parents following surrogacy arrangements in the United Kingdom and the EU.
The Conference was well attended by Judges and lawyers in assisted reproduction and surrogacy law from across the USA, Canada, England and Israel.
Franco-British Lawyers Society
October 2012
Lucy Marks spoke at the Franco-British Lawyers Society conference which took place in Paris on 5 October 2012. The conference dealt with financial remedies on divorce in France and England and was presented by Celine Campi. Lucy spoke about pre-nuptial agreements.
Hague Child Abduction Convention 1980
October 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE provides pro-bono support to Reunite who are given leave to intervene in a Hague Convention Case before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.
EU Maintenance Regulations
September 2012
Following on from Dawson Cornwell's seminar on EU Maintenance Regulations which took place in June 2012, Rhiannon Lewis of Dawson Cornwell co-authored an article with Will Tyzack of QEB entitled "Mapping the Jurisdiction Minefield: Steering Clear of the Traps of EU Maintenance Regulation".
International Family Law Conference
September 2012
Organised by Jordans Publishing Limited and at which Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke about the 1996 Hague Convention principles and practice.
ERA Annual Conference on European Family Law on Cross-Border Divorce and its Consequences
September 2012
Carolina Marín Pedreño spoke at the Annual Conference on European Family Law 2012 in Trier, which focused on cross-border divorce and its consequences. Carolina spoke on the subject "Brussels II bis Regulation: Seven years on and proposals for reform", further to her award winning essay upon the topic last year. Russell Bywater and Olivia Piercy were also in attendance at the conference.
Alternative Parenting Show 2012
September 2012
Dawson Cornwell were delighted to be the official legal partner in this year’s Alternative Parenting Show which took place in the Connaught Rooms near Covent Garden on 15 September 2012. At this year’s show there were in excess of 40 exhibitors and a series of talks and seminars. As in previous years the show’s headline sponsor were The London Women’s Clinic and it was organised by Square Peg Media.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE of Dawson Cornwell chaired a panel of experts in a discussion entitled "International Surrogacy: Passports and Parenting" and chaired a second discussion later in the day entitled "Domestic and International Adoption: Coparenting and Other Means of Acquiring Parental Responsibility".
Colin Rogerson of Dawson Cornwell spoke during a session entitled "Domestic and International Adoption, Co-Parenting and other means of Acquiring Parental Responsibility" on the subject of co-parenting agreements.
International Bar Association
September 2012
Follow the link to Family Law News, the newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division for September 2012 and read Carolina Marín Pedreño’s article entitled "Shared residence orders might not be an exception in Spain for much longer".
LAWASIA Conference in Penang, Malaysia
July 2012
The fourth LAWASIA Family Law Conference was held in Penang, Malaysia on 13 and 14 July 2012.
Rhiannon Lewis spoke on the topic of Pre-nuptial Agreements. The session was chaired by TL Yap and the other speakers were Associate Professor Debbie Ong of the National University of Singapore and Yumna Mookrey of Miller du Toit Cloete Inc, Capetown.
Russell Bywater spoke at a panel session on The Future of Family Law alongside numerous other family law experts including Rajan Chettiar of Singapore, Catherine Gale of Australia, Foo Yet Ngo of Malaysia, Akiko Sugita of Japan, Winnie Chow of Hong Kong, Rachana Srivastava of India and Sasirusm Chunhakasikam of Thailand.
JAN report into forced marriage
July 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at the launch of the JAN Trust Report on the effective prevention of forced marriages within the Pakistani community in the UK on 9 July 2012 in the House of Lords.
Working with BME and Faith Communities
July 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at the Community Care Conference entitled Working with BME and Faith Communities to protect children and young people on Wednesday 4 July 2012. Anne-Marie addressed the conference on the subject of understanding the statutory and practice guidance surrounding the issues of protecting BME and Faith communities and their children and young people.
Forced Marriage
June 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE comments on the criminalisation of Forced Marriage.
Anglo-Spanish Legal Conference
June 2012
Lucy Marks spoke at the Anglo-Spanish Legal Conference which took place at the Law Society in London on 8th June 2012. The conference was presented by Rosario Génova Alguacil. Lucy spoke about financial provision available for children under Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 and pre-nuptial agreements.
EU Maintenance Regulations
June 2012
Dawson Cornwell hosted and produced a seminar entitled "A year on - Taking Stock of the EU Maintenance Regulation" at Europe House in London's Smith Square, the new home of the European Parliament and Commission in the UK. The panel was headed and introduced by Lucy Marks of Dawson Cornwell and she was joined by Tim Amos QC of QEB Chambers, Roberta Ceschini a partner at Ceshini Restignol in Rome, Miguel Maldonado Gonzalez a practising lawyer from the Malaga Bar Association, Julie Losson a partner at Villard Cornec in Paris and Roland Krause a Rechtsanwalt and Abogado practising in Germany and Spain.
Discussion focussed on the Council Regulation EC No 4⁄2009 of 18 December 2008 and recognition, jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement of decisions and inter‐member co‐operation relating to cross‐European maintenance obligations. After the formal discussion those present continued to discuss and network over a selection of European wines.
Law Society International Issues Committee
May 2012
Dawson Cornwell are delighted that Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has been re-appointed to the Law Society’s International Issues Committee for a further three years term until 31 August 2015.
ABA "International Families" Conference in Washington, DC
May 2012
Dawson Cornwell were delighted to support the inaugural American Bar Association Conference on International Family Law held at the ABA office in Washington, DC on 25 and 26 May 2012. The conference, organized by Melissa Kucinski of Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld, was entitled "International Families – Money, Children and Long Term Planning".
Rhiannon Lewis, a committee member, was the program producer and Chair of the session on "Child Support and International Enforcement" with speakers Philippe Lortie, First Secretary Hague Conference on Private International Law, Hannah Roots, Managing Director, British Columbia Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, Meg Campbell-Haynes, Center for the Support of Families and Gary Caswell of Nuñez, Arreola y Asociados, all renowned experts in the field.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE contributed via telephone link and spoke at two sessions; "International Child Relocation, the Washington Declaration" and "Recognition of Foreign Court Orders and Conflicts of Laws".
Dawson Cornwell were also delighted to sponsor the conference reception hosted at the Canadian Embassy.
Stranded Spouses Seminar and Reception
May 2012
Dawson Cornwell hosted a seminar and reception entitled "Stranded Spouses" at the Conway Hall in Red Lion Square, London on 16 May 2012 attended by 150 individuals representing many NGOs, charities, legal publications, the Bar, the Police Force and others involved in this area of the law. Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE chaired the discussion group which included Teertha Gupta QC of 4 Paper Buildings, Mehvish Chaudhry of Renaissance Chambers, Kulbir Randhawa of Asian Family Counselling Service, Heather Harvey of Eaves Housing Trust, Gina Allwood of 7 Bedford Row and Lisette Dupré an assistant solicitor at Dawson Cornwell.
Issues covered included maintenance provision, divorce and financial relief after a foreign decree, no recourse to public funds and housing issues, immigration issues relating to stranded spouses and their children including entry clearance and visas and maintenance provision, child support and failure to maintain.
Human Trafficking and Forced Marriage
May 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE took part in a discussion group entitled "Human Trafficking and Forced Marriage" at the International Association of Women Judges conference in London on 3 May 2012.
IBA 5th World Women Lawyers’ Conference
April 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE co-chaired the IBA 5th World Women Lawyers’ Conference held in London on 26 and 27 April 2012.
Russia and UK Matrimonial Regimes compared
April 2012
Read an article by Lucy Marks published in the Family Law Journal comparing the different matrimonial regimes in this country and Russia. The article is written together with Vitaliy Eremin, a partner of Lozange Littoral Groupe, Moscow.
IBA Outstanding International Woman Lawyer Award 2012
April 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE as chair of the IBA Women Lawyers’ Interest Group at the 5th World Women Lawyers Conference in London attended at the presentation of the IBA Outstanding Woman Lawyer Award 2012 to Chief Olufolake Solanke, Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The Award was given in recognition of Chief Solanke’s professional excellence and her ongoing contribution to the advancement of women within the legal profession. The announcement was met with rapturous applause and the recipient was encircled by delegates attending the event.
Anne-Marie commented, "I am honoured and excited to be co–chairing the 5th IBA World Women Lawyers’ Conference and to present Chief Solanke with the 2012 IBA Outstanding International Woman Lawyer of the Year Award. Given the high calibre of all the nominees it was a very tough call". She added, "Chief Solanke’s career has been long, industrious, filled with achievement and an inspiration to many. Her unswerving commitment to advancing women in the legal profession is admirable and I wholeheartedly congratulate her on receiving this award".
Forced marriage seminar
March 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was the keynote speaker at a seminar hosted by BPP Law School (Holborn Campus) entitled Forced Marriages: Sufficient Legal Protection? held on Monday 26 March 2012. The panel also included speakers from the Forced Marriage Unit at the Foreign Office, Waltham Forest Local Authority, Reading University and Buckingham University.
Notable practitioner
March 2012
Carolina Marín Pedreño has been listed as a notable practitioner in the private client section of Chambers Global 2012.
Family Law Conference – Cape Town
March 2012
Rhiannon Lewis spoke at the 15th Annual Family Law Conference in Cape Town on 15 March 2012. The conference was presented by Miller du Toit Cloete Inc and the University of the Western Cape. Rhiannon spoke about the financial provision available for the children of non–marital parents from an international perspective.
Supreme Court case
March 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE provides pro–bono support in Supreme Court case ensuring that the Hague Convention is interpreted consistently and that it is applied fairly and effectively.
Forced marriage TV interview
March 2012
As part of the launch preparations for Secrets of the Henna Girl Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has given an extensive interview to Carl Arrindel for Islam Channel’s In Focus programme. This interview explores in some detail the plight of those subjected to forced marriage and consequential honour based violence and killings from the point of view of someone involved in assisting them. Anne-Marie has been active in preventing many such marriages taking place and ensuring places of safety for the victims, sometimes as young as nine, from countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Congress for the Association of Spanish Family Lawyers
March 2012
Lucy Marks attended the 19th Congress for the Association of Spanish Family Lawyers (AEAFA) in Madrid which took place on 9 and 10 March 2012. The programme covered an analysis of recent developments in Spanish Family Law.
Secrets of the Henna Girl
March 2012
Dawson Cornwell was pleased to co-sponsor the launch of the Secrets of the Henna Girl by Sofiya Ahmed held in the Locarno Suite at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on International Womens’ Day, Thursday 8 March 2012. Dawson Cornwell’s co-sponsors were the Forced Marriage Unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Henna Foundation.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at the launch and noted that a book of this kind would help to raise awareness among the general public of the issues of forced marriage and honour based violence and also help to convey to its victims that there are people who can and will help them.
Secrets of the Henna Girl is a powerful and moving novel about the illegal practice of teenage forced marriages.
Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy
March 2012
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at a seminar hosted by 7 Bedford Row Chambers on Thursday 1 March entitled "Assisted reproduction and surrogacy – a modern approach to parenthood or brave new world?" There were three speakers followed by a panel discussion. Anne-Marie spoke about the international aspects of surrogacy.
Albert Award
February 2012
Dawson Cornwell has been given an "Albert" award by the Albert Kennedy Trust in recognition of its work on an international level in defending the human rights of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people. The award was accepted by Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE at the Alberts ceremony on 23 February 2012. The award was presented to Anne-Marie by the actor Charlie Condou.
The Albert Kennedy Trust is a voluntary organisation which provides support for young LBGT people living in a hostile environment or housing crisis.
Dawson Cornwell is proud to be recognised for its work in this ground-breaking field by the special award from the Albert Kennedy Trust. It is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and her team who work tirelessly in this and other legal areas to help protect the human rights of young people both here and abroad.
Good Lawyer Guide
February 2012
Carolina Marín Pedreño has been awarded a five star rating for her children law practice by the Good Lawyer Guide 2012. These certificates are exclusively awarded to solicitors with five star ratings, which in turn are given only to solicitors who according to research conducted by the Good Lawyer Guide (which incorporates client feedback) offer an outstanding service to clients.
www.goodlawyerguide.co.uk is the fastest growing independent review site for lawyers in England and Wales and is created by the publishers of the Legal 500 series.
Jones v Kernott
January 2012
Read an article by Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks published on the Spanish Association of Family Lawyers’ website (AEAFA). The article deals with the Supreme Court decision in the case of Jones v Kernott regarding division of finances in relation to unmarried couples.
Article (please note in Spanish)
Conveyancing Quality Status
December 2011
Dawson Cornwell are delighted to have been accredited as a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme – the mark of excellence for the home buying process.
Dawson Cornwell underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to secure CQS status, which marks the firm out as meeting high standards in the residential conveyancing process. Stephen Harker (Managing Partner and Head of the Property Department) is delighted to have secured CQS status as it is a recognition of the high standards the firm provides to its residential property clients and is a signal to future homebuyers of the excellent service level provided by Dawson Cornwell.
Mount Kilimanjaro charity climb
December 2011
Lisette Dupré reached the summit of Kilimanjaro on 31 December 2011 in aid of the charity Reunite.
Family Law Firm of the Year 2011
December 2011
Dawson Cornwell has been named family law firm of the year 2011 as part of the Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards 2011.
These awards recognise the achievements of law firms and individuals who have engaged and responded most successfully to the demands being placed on them in the new post-recession business environment and the recent economic turmoil. Over the past 6 months the Lawyer Monthly research team collected and collated votes through their online voting form.
Managing partner, Stephen Harker has said "the staff and partners at Dawson Cornwell work extremely hard to raise and maintain the firm’s profile and to give the best possible service to our clients especially in our international work and it is a testament to them and their dedication that we should be given this award".
IKWRO True Honour Awards 2011
December 2011
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has been awarded one of two true honour awards by the Iran and Kurdish Womens’ Rights organisation (IKWRO). There were 14 nominees for the two awards and Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was said to have championed the rights of the victims of "honour" based violence and forced marriage. Her work in this field began in 1997 in the case of re KR where the court recognised the need to protect the victims of forced marriage despite the lack of any legislation. Since then she has repatriated over 50 forced marriage victims back to the United Kingdom and has prevented the removal of many more. In 2009 Anne-Marie brought one of the first cases under the new Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act before the High Court and established that English courts could make protection orders in respect of non-British victims who are overseas.
Second annual Peter Clark prize
24th November 2011
On 24th November 2011 Rebecca Hazeldine, winner of the second annual Peter Clark Prize, was presented with the £2,000 award at Dawson Cornwell's offices.
This award was established in honour of Peter Clark, a partner at Dawson Cornwell from 1993 until his death in April 2010. Senior partner John Cornwell said : "Peter's contribution to his clients, this firm and to the field of Family Law was immense. We trust that this prize goes a little way to recognising that and to inspire young lawyers to emulate him."
Annual congress of the Union Internationale des Avocats
31st October to 4th November 2011
Carolina Marín Pedreño attended the 55th annual congress of the Union Internationale des Avocats in Miami which took place between 31st October and 4th November 2011. An extensive programme covered a huge range of international legal issues.
Surrogacy in Ireland
23rd November 2011
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE comments in the Irish Times on the lack of surrogacy legislation in Ireland.
Supreme Court case
October 2011
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE provides pro-bono support in ground breaking Supreme Court Case condemning use of immigration policy in forced marriage cases.
Family Solicitor of the Year shortlist
October 2011
Dawson Cornwell are delighted to announce that Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has been shortlisted in the category of Family Law Solicitor of the Year in the Jordans Publishing Family Law Awards 2011.
ERA Annual Conference in Trier
September 2011
Russell Bywater and Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome attended the ERA Annual Conference in Trier on 29 and 30 September 2011 which focused on recent changes in European family law.
Alternative Families Show 2011
17th September 2011
Dawson Cornwell were proud to be the official legal partner in this year’s Alternative Families Show which took place at the Connaught Rooms near Covent Garden on 17th September 2011. This year’s show saw over 40 exhibitors and a whole array of seminars from some participants. The show's headline sponsor was The London Women’s Clinic and it was organised by Square Peg Media.
As legal partner Dawson Cornwell presented a number of seminars and discussion groups during the course of the day. Anne-Marie Hutchinson spoke on the international aspects of parenthood with a number of other legal experts; she also spoke on the subject of gay Dads with Sam Dick from Stonewall and chaired a discussion group on support networks for those new and future parents and the choices and assistance available to them; Rhiannon Lewis chaired a session entitled Making Arrangements for you and your Family which covered subjects such as cohabitation, civil partnerships, pre-registration agreements, property and inheritance.
Dawson Cornwell is pleased to announce that it will be official legal partner of next year’s show which will be known as the Alternative Parenting Show also to be held at the Connaught Rooms on Saturday 15th September 2012.
Queensland International Law Conference
10th September 2011
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at the 26th annual Family Law Conference in Queensland, Australia where she addressed Hague Convention matters from an international perspective, subsequently chairing a discussion group on surrogacy
International Family Law Conference
6th September 2011
Dawson Cornwell were co-sponsors of this conference which took place on 6th September 2011 organised by Jordans Publishing Limited and at which Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke about Surrogacy from an international perspective. This conference was designed to give practitioners an overview on advising in international family law disputes.
Article in Matrimonial Conveyancing
June 2011
Read property partner Stephen Harker's article on the overlap between property and family lawyers in Matrimonial Conveyancing.
LAWASIA Conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia
27th - 29th May 2011
On 29th May 2011, Rhiannon Lewis addressed the 4th Children & The Law Conference organised by Lawasia, held in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Rhiannon spoke at a session chaired by Linda Heathfield of Ip & Heathfield, Hong Kong on the topic of maintenance for children. Her co-speakers were Justin Dowd, Senior Vice President of the Law Society of New South Wales and partner in Watts McCray Lawyers, Sydney, Akiko Sugita of Japan and Raymond Yeo of Singapore.
Rhiannon also participated in the Family Law Forum with John Pascoe, Chief Federal Magistrate, Australia, Yap Teong Liang of Singapore, Linda Heathfield of Ip & Heathfield, Hong Kong and Mikiko Otani of Japan. The Family Law Forum was chaired by Malathi Das of Singapore, President Elect of Lawasia.
Carolina Marín Pedreño wins essay prize
4th April 2011
The first European Chapter Annual Award for Young Family Lawyers of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, has been awarded to Carolina Marín Pedreño of London firm Dawson Cornwell.
Her prizewinning essay on the subject of "The Brussels II bis Regulation - Five Years On and Proposals for Reform" can be read here.
Marital Property Agreements
February 2011
The Law Commission has published its Consultation Paper on marital property agreements (which includes pre-nuptial, post nuptial and separation agreements).
The Consultation Paper sets out some of the arguments for and against reform of marital property agreements and examines the status and enforceability of these agreements made between spouses or civil partners. The Law Commission is seeking views on whether couples should be able to enter into marital property agreements and whether such agreements should be limited to pre-acquired, gifted or inherited property. The consultation closes on 11 April 2011.
For further information about the Consultation Paper, please click here.
Chair of Women Lawyers’ Interest Group
January 2011
In January 2011, Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was appointed Chair of the Women Lawyers’ Interest Group of the International Bar Association. Anne-Marie Hutchinson has worked tirelessly in the field of women’s rights throughout her career, particularly in areas such as child abduction, forced marriages and abandoned spouses. In 2010 she received the International Bar Association’s Outstanding International Woman Lawyer award.
Launch of Freedom Charity
1st December 2010
On 1st December 2010, Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE was a speaker at the launch of Freedom Charity, a charity formed to raise awareness of forced marriage and dis-honour based violence. The venue of the launch was the House of Lords. Other speakers included Lord Toby Harris, Baroness Scotland, Aina Khan and Dr Humayra Abedin, a former client of Dawson Cornwell, who spoke about her own experience of being forced into a marriage.
Alternative Families Show 2010
23rd October 2010
Dawson Cornwell were proud to support the inaugural Alternative Families Show 2010 on Saturday 23rd October 2010. This one-stop shop show was aimed at the lesbian and gay community and brought together exhibitors from a variety of top UK advisors on the facts and options for same sex and single parents on becoming a parent. The show was organised by littlepink, Square Peg Media and Stonewall and sponsored by the London Womens’ Clinic. It was attended by around 4,000 participants.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE spoke at two of the well attended seminars which ran throughout the day. She chaired and spoke at the "Unknown Donor Roadmap" session on donor conception and spoke at the "Considering Surrogacy" session on the legal aspects of surrogacy, adoption and immigration for would be same sex parents.
Inaugural Peter Clark prize
15th October 2010
On 15th October 2010 Rebecca Hawley, winner of the inaugural Peter Clark Prize, was presented with the £2,000 award at Dawson Cornwell's offices.
This award was established in honour of Peter Clark, a partner at Dawson Cornwell from 1993 until his death in April 2010. Senior partner John Cornwell said "Peter Clark hid his light under a bushel but was to my personal knowledge an exceptional family lawyer. It is entirely fitting that this award, which Dawson Cornwell sponsors, should be given to future generations of the best in family law".
IBA Conference in Vancouver
October 2010
Rhiannon Lewis addressed the annual International Bar Association in Vancouver 3rd to 8th October 2010 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The conference was attended by over 3,500 international lawyers. Photograph. Rhiannon addressed the Joint Family Law and Individual Tax & Private Client Law session "Coming & Going II: focus on going – exit strategies for the private client. Is getting up and going a good solution?" The session was co-chaired by Jacqueline Julyan SC of the Marine Group of Advocates, Durban and Niklas Schmidt of Wolf Theiss, Vienna. Rhiannon spoke alongside Ranjit Malhotra of Malhotra & Malhotra Associates, India and Dr. Roland Krause, of Dr. Krause & Partners Gbr, Berlin.
Rhiannon Lewis also chaired a stimulating session held jointly by the Family Law Committee and the Mediation Committee "Mediation in International Family Law". In the role play, the co-mediators were Max Blitt of Spier Harben Calgary and Marguerite Smith, Flexx Law PS, Seattle. The wife was role played by Frances Burton of London Metropolitan University School of Law, London and the husband by Dr. Roland Krause of Dr. Krause & Partners Gbr, Berlin.
Rhiannon Lewis attended the conference as a market visit participant of the UK Trade & Investment and The Law Society of England & Wales mission.
Dawson Cornwell co-sponsored the Family Law Committee Breakfast.
Article by Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks
20th September 2010
Read an article by Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks published in the Family Law Journal about how the forthcoming decision in Radmacher v Granatino may effect the enforceability in this country of agreements entered into before marriage in Spain. The article provides an explanation of economic regimes and matrimonial property and the different types of agreements entered into in Spain prior to marriage.
Dawson Cornwell hosts charity DVD launch
16th September 2010
On 16th September 2010 Dawson Cornwell hosted a reception to celebrate the launch of a new DVD for schools by charity Schoolchildren for Children. Schoolchildren for Children is a charity which encourages children to raise money, by taking exercise, both for the benefit of their own school and to pay for school equipment for specific schools in poorer countries including Kenya, China, Nepal and Thailand. The charity is supported by a number of sporting celebrities and Dawson Cornwell has been involved in sponsoring the charity for a number of years. The new DVD, which is being distributed to schools nationwide, features two of Dawson Cornwell’s partner Russell Bywater’s children.
Dawson Cornwell charity walk
September 2010
On 25th September 2010, a team from Dawson Cornwell participated in a sponsored walk in support of Reunite International. Reunite International is a leading charity supporting families affected by international child abduction. The money raised by Dawson Cornwell’s team will support the charity and their specialist telephone advice line, enabling them to continue to offer support, impartial advice and guidance to parents and family members.
Interview with Russell Bywater
July 2010
Read an interview with Russell Bywater on family law in ACQ Magazine.
John Cornwell chairs conference
7th July 2010
The inaugural Divorce Super Conference, organized by SGCL, was held on 7th and 8th July at King's College, London. John Cornwell, senior partner of Dawson Cornwell, opened and chaired Day One of the conference.
Dawson Cornwell sponsors Conference
July 2010
Anne-Marie Hutchinson and Russell Bywater addressed the inaugural conference "International Child Abduction, Relocation and Forced Marriage" on 30th June to 2nd July 2010. This highly successful and important conference was organized by the Centre for Family Law and Practice, London Metropolitan University.
Dawson Cornwell were proud to be one of the sponsors of the conference.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson chaired three sessions; Forced Marriage: British Initiatives and International Approaches; International Child Abduction and Forced Marriage. She also participated as a panel member on the Forced Marriage Break out session, chaired by Mr Justice Singer. Russell Bywater spoke on nullity in the context of forced marriage cases.
Conference in Malaga
13th May 2010
Carolina Marín Pedreño and Lucy Marks attended the first International Meeting of British and Spanish Lawyers which took place in Malaga on 13th to 15th May 2010. Organised by the Law Society and the Malaga Bar Association, together with the British Spanish Lawyers Association, the conference focused on private client issues in English and Spanish law and the principal differences in the practice of law in England and Spain.
Carolina Marín Pedreño presented a talk on child abduction and the issues relevant to both jurisdictions. Her presentation dealt with applicable law, definition of child abduction, the functions of the Central Authorities in England and Wales, and Spain, the defences available and Spanish cases of abduction determined by the English Courts.
Outstanding international woman lawyer award
15th April 2010
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has received the International Bar Association’s Outstanding International Woman Lawyer Award 2010. The announcement of this prestigious award and its presentation was made at the IBA 4th World Women Lawyers Conference in London on 15th April 2010. It was awarded in recognition of a woman lawyer who has achieved professional excellence in her field and influenced other women to pursue legal careers or opened doors for women lawyers in a variety of job settings that historically were closed to them, or advanced opportunities for women within a practice, area or segment of the profession.
The award was sponsored by Lexis Nexis.
International Issues Committee
April 2010
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE has been appointed a member of the International Issues Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales, for a term of 3 years from 1st September 2010. This Committee promotes and raises awareness of International legal issues within the profession, both at home and abroad.
Article by Lucy Marks
March 2010
Read an article written by Lucy Marks and published on the First Wives World Website about the benefits for women of getting divorced in the UK.
Breaking up in Britain. Are the UK’s divorce laws better for women?
Launch of German website
February 2010
Dawson Cornwell launched its German website on 9th February 2010.
In recent years, the firm has seen an increase in the number of jurisdictional cases involving Germany and German speaking clients. It has been able to provide a service tailored to these clients with the assistance of bilingual Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome.
The launch was celebrated with a reception held at The Law Society of England and Wales.
Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome and senior partner John Cornwell spoke briefly. The reception was honoured by the presence of Ralf Eden, Frank Montag and Gräfin Gisela Szechenyi of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Stefano Agudo and Eva Gil of the Spanish Consulate, César Campoy of the Argentine Embassy, Alison Hook Head of International at The Law Society of England & Wales as well as a number of distinguished Judges. Also present were many international family and other lawyers.
Dawson Cornwell is the first family law firm in the UK with both Spanish and German language websites, reflecting its leading position in international family law.
Article by Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome
November 2009
Read an article written by Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome with Dr. Kerstin Niethammer-Jurgens and published by Family Law Journal outlining the differences between family law in England and Germany.
Citywealth Leaders List 2009
June 2009
John Cornwell, Rhiannon Lewis and Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE have all been named as leading family and matrimonial lawyers in the Citywealth Guide for the Superwealthy: the Leading Wealth Managers and Advisors 2009.
LAWASIA Conference in Singapore
23rd May 2009
Russell Bywater addressed the Children and the Law Conference in Singapore, organized jointly by LAWASIA and The Law Society of Singapore. Russell delivered a paper on The Voice of the Child in Hague Proceedings, co-authored by Anne-Marie Hutchinson of Dawson Cornwell and Edward Devereux of Counsel.
Video of press conference
28th April 2009
Watch Dr Abedin describe her experience of abduction and forced marriage and Anne-Marie Hutchinson explain about her ground breaking work in this field.
Dr. Abedin and Anne-Marie gave a press conference on 28th April 2009 at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with Micarla Catalano, PACE Press Service and Antigone Papadapoulos, PACE rapporteur, prior to the Parliamentary Debate.
Norwegian Initiative
8th May 2009
On 8 May 2009 Anne-Marie Hutchinson travelled to Norway to give a presentation at a public meeting and to meet Ministers and NGOs to discuss an initiative for the introduction of forced marriage legislation in Norway.
Articles by partner Kate Allen
April 2009
Read a recent series of articles on cohabitation co-authored by Kate Allen, partner and published in the Family Law Journal.
Life Beyond the Family Proceedings Rules
English-Spanish Bar Leaders and Lawyers' Conference
3rd April 2009
Over 100 Spanish lawyers convened at The Law Society on 2nd and 3rd April 2009 for the inaugural English-Spanish Bar Leaders and Lawyers’ Conference. Carolina Marín Pedreño, our dual qualified Anglo-Spanish lawyer, gave a paper on the topic of Practical Aspects of Anglo-Spanish Divorce Law, jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement.
Forced marriages seminar
2nd April 2009
Anne-Marie Hutchinson, partner at Dawson Cornwell, spoke at a seminar on Forced Marriages alongside Sir Mark Potter (President of the Family Division) and Mr Justice Munby.
Text of speeches given by Sir Mark Potter and Mr Justice Munby.
Dawson Cornwell in forced marriage victory
16th December 2008
In December 2008, Anne-Marie Hutchinson acted for Dr Humayra Abedin in one of the first cases under the new Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. Dr Abedin had been held captive, drugged by her family in Bangladesh and forced to marry against her will. Following orders obtained in the English courts, Dr Abedin was recovered and safely returned to England. This important case attracted extensive media reports worldwide, including:
| Television | Newspapers |
| BBC Breakfast - 15th December 2008 | The Independent - 7th December 2008 |
| Channel 4 News - 19th December 2008 | Daily Express - 14th December 2008 |
| BBC News - 19th December 2008 | The Telegraph - 14th December 2008 |
| Sky - 19th December 2008 | Daily Mail - 16th December 2008 |
Chambers & Partners 2009 Edition
18th November 2008
Dawson Cornwell receives its best ever ranking in Chambers & Partners with the launch of the 2009 edition. The firm is given the top ranking for its international work with children and is noted for its ability to “handle anything”. 5 partners are given particular credit and Anne-Marie Hutchinson is named as a “star individual”.
Dawson Cornwell victory in the House of Lords
22nd October 2008
Dawson Cornwell successfully prevent the return of a child to Lebanon in a decision of the House of Lords, reversing rulings by the Court of Appeal, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and the Home Secretary on the ground of a human rights breach.
IBA conference in Buenos Aires
14th October 2008
Four members of Dawson Cornwell attend the IBA conference in Buenos Aires.
Launch of Argentine Republic Network of Expert Judges
14th October 2008
The official launch of the Argentine Republic Network of Expert Judges on International Restitution of Children took place on 14th October 2008 in Buenos Aires.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and Carolina Marín Pedreño attended the official launch at the invitation of Graciela Tagle, Liaison Judge.
Also present were Professor William Duncan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Ignatio Goicoechea, Liaison Officer for Latin America of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Victor Velez, President of the Magistrates Association of the city of Cordoba, Santiago Otamendi, Secretary of the Argentine Federation of Magistrates and Officials and the Expert Judges.
The Legal 500
15th September 2008
Dawson Cornwell praised for its partner-led approach and "very experienced, tight-knit team" in the 2008 edition of the Legal 500.
Dawson Cornwell victory in the House of Lords
13th August 2008
Dawson Cornwell recently acted successfully in a case at the House of Lords which held that the statutory scheme requiring the permission of the Secretary of State for the Home Department for marriage by people who were subject to immigration control or were illegal entrants was disproportionate and infringed the right to marry protected by article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Dawson Cornwell case reported in Pakistan
13th August 2008
Dawson Cornwell recently acted for a mother in successfully obtaining a court order for the return of her four children from Pakistan after they were abducted there by their father. The case was reported in various newspapers in Pakistan.
New marriage contract introduced for British Muslims
8th August 2008
On 8 August 2008, the Muslim Institute launched a new standard marriage contract for British Muslims wishing to marry under Muslim law. Anne-Marie Hutchinson of Dawson Cornwell was an advisor on this document.
In particular, the contract will give greater clarity and protection to the parties in the event of the breakdown of their marriage. Dawson Cornwell welcomes the document.
Call for Non-dom delay
13th March 2008
The Law Society is calling for the implementation of the non domiciled resident tax proposals to be deferred so that effective consultation can take place and allow the full scope of the legislation to become clear.
Dawson Cornwell addresses Anglo-Spanish conference
7-8th March 2008
Carolina Marín Pedreño, Dawson Cornwell’s dual qualified Anglo-Spanish lawyer addressed the English v Spanish Comparative law conference in Granada. She spoke on the two countries’ differing family law regimes.
Legal profession Hall of Fame
10th December 2007
Senior partner John Cornwell is given a place in the Lawyer magazine's Hall of Fame for having changed the course of family law by founding the Solicitors Family Law Association (now called Resolution).
Dawson Cornwell wins House of Lords case
5th December 2007
Dawson Cornwell wins the ground-breaking House of Lords case of Re M, affecting Hague Convention child abducion cases where children have been in the UK for over a year and object to a return.
Chambers & Partners 2007-2008
9th November 2007
Dawson Cornwell is described as a "fantastic outfit" and achieves high rankings across the board in Chambers & Partners 2007-2008 Edition - no. 1 for cross-jurisdictional children work and no. 3 for matrimonial finance and private children cases.
International Bar Association Conference
14th to 19th October 2007
Anne-Marie Hutchinson and Rhiannon Lewis recently attended the International Bar Association Conference in Singapore which was attended by over 3,500 international lawyers. They were chosen to attend as delegates for the Law Society and the UK Trade and Investment mission. Anne-Marie chaired the main family law session, participating alongside other high profile international family lawyers.
Anne-Marie Hutchinson to speak at American Bar Association Fall conference re. International Family Law
2nd October 2007
Dawson Cornwell welcomes the American Bar Association to London for its Fall Conference (3rd to 6th October) at which Anne-Marie Hutchinson is speaking on International Family Law in Children
New Law Developments as of 1st October 2007
1st October 2007
As from 1st October 2007, the USA is now a reciprocating country for the enforcement of maintenance orders.
Also as of 1st October, the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) will replace the Enduring Power of Attorney as the power that can operate after a person ceases to have mental capacity. The LPA increases the range of different decisions that people can authorise others to make on their behalf. In addition to property and financial matters, a person can delegate decisions affecting their personal welfare, including healthcare and medical treatment to their attorney. Consult Martin Beard or John Cornwell for further details.
All Dawson Cornwell partners recommended in 2007 edition of Legal 500
1st October 2007
Dawson Cornwell is delighted to announce that every single one of their family law partners is recommended in the 2007 edition of the Legal 500. The firm is recommended for its “strength and depth of expertise in both money and children work.”
Dawson Cornwell makes ground-breaking law
31st July 2007
Dawson Cornwell make ground-breaking law winning leave for a child to intervene in a mother’s petition to the House of Lords. (EM (Lebanon) and the Secretary of State for the Home Department.)
Dawson Cornwell private client partner wins award for pro bono contributions
14 June 2007
Martin Beard has been awarded the 2007 Solicitors Pro Bono Group LawWorks Award for Best Contribution by an Individual. The judges, who included Cherie Booth QC, made the award in recognition of his 30 years service at Centre 70.
Launch of Spanish website
24 May 2007
Dawson Cornwell reception on 24th May 2007 at The Law Society to launch its Spanish website. Over £400 was raised for Asociación para la Recuperación de Niños Sacados de su País, marking International Missing Children’s Day on 25th May 2007.
Asociación para la Recuperación de Niños Sacados de su País
Dawson Cornwell wins children Court of Appeal case
1 May 2007
Dawson Cornwell represented the successful appellant in Re: M (a child), a Court of Appeal case in which the Article 13b defence and the welfare considerations in a child’s objections defence were considered (Re M (a child) [2007] EWCA Civ 260).
Anne-Marie Hutchinson at the European Parliament
17 April 2007
Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE will be speaking at the European Parliament Joint Hearing on the Rights of the Child.
Child Concern Day Seminar
19 March 2007
On Friday 27 April 2007, Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE will be speaking at the Child Concern Day Seminar.
Forced marriages
9 February 2007
On Sunday 18th March 2007, Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE will be speaking on the topic of forced marriages at the United Kingdom Association of Women Judges’ annual conference in Birmingham.
Latest edition of Stephen Harker’s family law conveyancing bible
19 January 2007
New edition of Family Lawyers “bible”, Matrimonial Conveyancing by Stephen Harker, now out.
