This week the media reported CAFCASS’ concern over falling rates of adoption due to the rise of surrogacy and more successful IVF rates, placing the spotlight firmly back on so called “alternative” family life.

There is no doubt that surrogacy arrangements are on the rise and less and less the “alternative” with new government guidance issued earlier this year. The latest CAFCASS figures also show applications to court for parental orders up from 44 to 220 from 2005-2015.

Added to the statistics are increasingly reported celebrity surrogacy success stories, from Robbie Williams and Ayda Field, to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black. Successful IVF rates also seem to climb, along with increased media coverage of pregnancy after age 45, with celebrities such as Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig at the forefront. However, for some adoption is still the right route to create their family and secure the legal rights and welfare of the child and should not be overlooked.

Allard Bailey Family Law is one of the first UK law firms to adopt Settify, an online platform that uses artificial intelligence to interact with clients in real time.

Settify allows clients to outline their matter and provide their relationship history via their phone, tablet or computer and immediately receive free personalised guidance.

The partnership ties in perfectly with Allard Bailey's fresh, modern and flexible approach to deliver a sophisticated service and real value for clients.

At Allard Bailey Family Law, we believe in access to justice.  That is why we will be joining The London Legal Walk on the evening of 17th June 2019 and walking 10k through London.

We will be raising money for London Legal Support Network, which supports over 100 organisations to provide free and pro bono advice to vulnerable people in London and the South East, including:

Louise Allard and Sabrina Bailey (pictured with Senior Consultant Solicitor Louise Poulton) are delighted that the firm has been recognised for its expertise in Family law by The Legal 500.

The Legal 500 is widely regarded as the leading legal directory in the world and has been analysing the capabilities of law firms throughout the world for more than 30 years.

Its rankings and recommendations are based on a series of criteria, but simply put in its own words The Legal 500 highlights 'the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice'.

Family law issues are stressful enough without adding health concerns and temporary working arrangements to the mix.

You can rest assured that we employ modern technology and working practices all year round, so COVID-19 will not disrupt the service you receive from our team.

Whether you are based in UK or overseas, appointments are always available via Skype, video call and on the telephone, at a time that suits you.

Whatever your schedule and commitments, our team of lawyers is ready to provide bespoke legal advice tailored to your situation.

Allard Bailey Family Law has launched a new Private Wealth, Wills & Estates service for individuals and families.

With the hire of Sangeeta Rabadia, the firm can now assist clients with drafting wills, succession and inheritance tax planning, power of attorney, probate and administration of estates, as well as disputes regarding wills, trusts and estates.

Louise Allard, Joint Managing Partner of Allard Bailey Family Law:

"As a firm, we help people through the best and worst times of their lives, which can have a huge impact on their personal estate.

We are therefore excited to welcome Sangeeta, who brings extensive experience in private wealth planning and disputes, to assist our clients in preparing for their new future with compassion and sensitivity."

Effective technology solutions and modern working practices are key to our ethos of delivering a first rate, flexible service whilst keeping client costs down.

The Zylpha bundling platform has proven to be a natural addition as it brings increased flexibility to our team and cost savings to our clients.

Zylpha enables us to construct bundles more quickly and easily.  A bundle is a folder of documents provided to the court before a hearing, which contains all of the documents the court may need for that hearing.

Until recently, Counsel required bundles to be given to them in hard copy, but electronic files are becoming more acceptable and this technology puts us at the cutting edge. 

You can read more at www.zylpha.com.

As a firm that prides itself on guiding entrepreneurs in their personal legal matters, Allard Bailey Family Law is proud to partner with Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Learn more at www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com

Started in 2012 to celebrate, champion and support enterprising minds in Great Britain, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards is more than an awards programme.  It is a community that supports one another, recognises successes and makes connections to enable Great British entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive.  We are proud to be part of that community.

Joint Managing Partners, Louise Allard and Sabrina Bailey, are delighted the firm has again been recommended by The Legal 500, which is widely regarded as the leading legal directory in the world. In its own words, The Legal 500’s rankings highlight ‘the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice’.

The Legal 500 includes the following information about the Family Law practice:

“Allard Bailey Family Law advises on all areas of family law, with a particular emphasis on complex financial proceedings where there are cross-jurisdictional issues, company assets and trusts structures. It is also skilled at advising on children law cases such as international relocation, child abduction and contact disputes, as well as surrogacy and adoption matters. The group is also recommended for its advice on LGBT family issues under the leadership of Louise Allard and Sabrina Bailey.”

Broadcaster and author Stephen Fry has voiced a video, produced by Allard Bailey Family Law, to help challenge stigma toward LGBT families.  The nine-minute film draws on independent research from the UK, United States, the Netherlands and Australia* that shows children raised by same-sex parents usually outperform others academically.

Stephen Fry says in the video that “stigma” is the one big disadvantage of same sex families:

“As medical advances enable more people to have biological children, adoption is declining among traditional families. At the same time there is a rise in adoption among same sex parents, who also adopt more of the children considered difficult to place, such as those with health problems, older children and siblings who should stay together. These children would otherwise face a very difficult future in care.”