NEWS: Murray Stable flies the

Posted On: 26 September 2008

Monday 22nd September saw the launch of the Murray Stable's newest practice group, The Family Law Group (FLaG).

At the FLaG inaugural event, held at the Faculty's Mackenzie Building, a packed house comprising a "Who's Who" of family law solicitors heard four of Scotland's top advocates debate the topic "Scots Law has no effective means of dealing with mothers who will not allow contact".

The debate, which adopted the format of a four-speech Appeal in the Inner House, was chaired by noted Child Psychologist Professor James Furnell and was argued passionately by the proposers, Ross Macfarlane, Advocate, and Janys Scott QC, and defended by Kirsty Malcolm, Advocate, and Jonathan Mitchell QC.

Iain Murray, Practice Manager and Clerk of the Murray Stable, said: "We were quite taken aback at the huge response to the FLaG event.  It sold out in a day - and there was even a waiting list for returns!"

Once the FLaG debate was concluded, the Advocates handed over to the delegates for discussion from the floor.

Andrew Gibb, Balfour and Manson, made an impassioned plea that solicitors should try to be part of the solution to the problem at the outset, by taking a firm hold of the situation and giving no-nonsense advice to those clients who sought to abuse the system.

Sarah Erskine, Erskine MacAskill, reminded the delegates that Scotland's well-documented problem with alcohol was still having a pernicious effect on Scottish family life, and that many mothers were justified in their attempts to restrict contact between children and abusive fathers.

Cath Karlin, HBJ Gateley Waring, suggested that parental education was the way forward.  She cited the successful experience of the courts in Texas, which sent divorcing parents for education and counselling in an attempt to impress upon those parents the likely damage suffered by children who have been caught in the cross-fire of an acrimonious break-up.

The event was followed by wine and conversation late into the evening, as the "Great and Good" in Scots Family Law looked for answers to one of its most intractable questions.

For more information, please visit the FLaG homepage.