Family Law
The Essential Family Law Conference
October 22nd 2025
Virtual Seminar
The Essential Family Law Conference
October 22nd 2025
1 - 5pm
Speakers: Karen Gibbons; Jenny Smith; Morag McEwan; Amy Donachie
Family Law is becoming one of the most complex and ever-changing areas of law. Recent and upcoming changes to legislation need to be navigated carefully by Family Law practitioners in order to meet client expectations and continue to offer the most up to date advice.
Join our outstanding panel for this 4 Hour session designed to cover the most important areas of legislation and hopefully provide you with the most current and relevant practical guidance.
This session will cover the following 4 topics:
Karen Gibbons, Harper Macleod – Tactics and Tools: Guidance for Family Law Practice
Karen will provide an update on recent childlaw cases and provide some handy tips on how to handle cases going forward.
Karen has extensive experience covering the spectrum of family law case types, including complex financial provision matters both in divorce (often including a cross-border element) and cohabitation cases. She regularly negotiates and assists clients in entering into separation agreements. In addition, she is regularly instructed to assist clients who wish to put in place pre or post nuptial and cohabitation agreements.
She receives regular instructions in complex cases relating to children, particularly those arising following the breakdown of relationships, including residence and contact cases, as well as relocation cases. Her child law practice also includes cases with an international element as well as child abduction cases.
Jenny Smith , Harper Macleod – s. 9(1) (b) claims
Jenny will provide guidance on how to argue these claims successfully, how to mesh into the overall pick and mix of 1985 Act remedies, and also how to counter effectively s.9(1) (b) claims.
Jenny has a particular interest and experience in the financial issues arising from separation and divorce, often involving high net worth, complex or unusual matters. Over her twenty year career she has been involved in many complicated cases in both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session.
She also has experience of all aspects of family law, including divorce and separation, civil partnership, financial provision, cohabitant claims, preparation of pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and issues to do with children including residence and contact.
Morag McEwan, Advocate – s.14 orders
Morag will consider s.14 orders, how we can look at incorporating them more into our practice, and more generally, how we can use the 1985 Act to its fullest.
Morag called to the bar in June 2024 and has a particular interest in family law and child law.
She trained with a leading Edinburgh private client firm, gaining extensive experience in family law, trust law, and taxation. She has experience in litigation arising from the breakdown of relationships, including financial provision on divorce and financial claims on the breakdown of cohabitation. In addition, she also has experience in disputes involving children, including residence and contact actions.
Amy Donachie, Advocate - S.28 claims, top tips for practitioners
This session will look at s.28 claims, how to navigate the legislation, what issues to consider, what information to gather, and how to maximise/off-set claims effectively.
Amy J Donachie specialises in family law and has a specific interest in child law.
Prior to calling to the Bar, Amy gained 8 years experience as a litigation solicitor. As a solicitor, she practised in all areas of family law and child law. She has many years of experience of dealing with all matters arising from the breakdown of relationships including financial provision on divorce and claims arising on the breakdown of cohabitation. Amy was regularly instructed to deal with disputes in relation to children including contact, residence and relocation.
The event begins at 1pm. Delegate registration is open from 12:30pm.
