Family Law Conference 2026
21/10/2026
Kindly sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 21st October 2026
Time: 09:00 – 17:20 (morning/afternoon only tickets available)
Location: Manchester Hall, 36 Bridge Street, M3 3BT (find a map here)
Cost to attend:
Full Day
MLS Members: £130.00 + VAT (£156.00)
Non-members: £170.00 + VAT (£204.00)
Morning/Afternoon Only
MLS Members: £85.00 + VAT (£102.00)
Non-members: £115.00 + VAT (£138.00)
Our Family Law Conference is back for another year! As always, the morning sessions will cover children law while the afternoon sessions will focus on finance.
We have morning, afternoon and full-day tickets available, so you can make sure you’re attending the sessions that relate the most to your specialism and practice areas.
09:00 Registration
09:30 Welcome and Introduction
Iwona Durlak, Senior Partner & Co-Founder, IMD Solicitors
09:40 Child Focussed Courts: Panel Discussion
Stacy Fox, Deputy District Judge (Midlands)
… with more panelists TBC!
10:25 Complex International & Internal Relocation
Andrea Watts, Barrister, 1KBW
11:10 Refreshments and Networking
11:40 Staying Sane in Family Law – Is It Possible?
Annmarie Carvalho, Founder and CEO, TCC
12:25 A Word from Our Sponsors
12:45 Best Practice and Pet Peeves: Advice from a Judge
Her Honour Judge Singleton KC
13:15 Networking Lunch
14:00 AI Governance
Stephen Brown, Managing Director and IT Consultant, Lights-On Consulting
14:45 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Panel Discussion
Sally Harrison KC, Barrister, St John’s Buildings
Maura McKibbin, Accredited Family Mediator
Abigail Bennett, Partner & In-House Counsel at JMW Solicitors, Deputy District Judge
15:30 Refreshments and Networking
15:45 Needs vs Sharing
Andrew Wastall, Barrister, Exchange Chambers
16:30 Cohabitation: Law Upon Separation and Upon Intestacy
Daniele Scanio, Junior Barrister, 18 St John Street Chambers
17:15 Closing Remarks
17:20 Conference Closes
Session Details
Staying Sane in Family Law – Is It Possible?
Join ‘the lawyers’ therapist’ and former family solicitor and mediator, Annmarie Carvalho as she delves into the psychology underneath the practice of family law. Touching on trauma and how to understand our own emotions as well as those of our clients, she’ll explore why the real key to ‘wellbeing’ is understanding the unpredictable rollercoaster world of family law on a deeper level.
Annmarie Carvalho, Founder and CEO, The Carvalho Consultancy (TCC)
Annmarie Carvalho, formerly a family law solicitor and mediator at Farrer & Co is an award-winning therapist, trainer and CEO of TCC, the legal therapy, training and coaching agency. She is author of the acclaimed book ‘Staying Sane in Family Law’ and host of the popular podcast ‘Staying Sane in Law’. She is also the legal agony aunt for the Financial Times.
You can read more about Annmarie’s work on the TCC website here.
Cohabitation: Law Upon Separation and Upon Intestacy
Should cohabitants who separate, or when one cohabitee passes away without a will, be protected by the same, or similar rights as those in a marriage? Current proposals for reform seek to tackle one of the family law’s most difficult questions: considering the rights upon de facto couples, rather than just de jure. The proposed reforms would introduce a new, but deliberately narrower, statutory framework for financial provision on separation. This talk will unpack the principles driving this reform, for better or worse, and look at the practical challenges of implementation may present for lawyers and clients alike.
Daniele Scanio, Junior Barrister, 18 St John Street Chambers
Daniele is a junior barrister specialising in financial remedies. He also acts and advises on a range of areas involving family disputes, including child arrangements between parents, financial provision for children, non-molestation applications, and claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Prior to pupillage, Daniele taught law to undergraduates and was a legal researcher at a set of chambers in London. He also practised in multiple multinational legal firms in the litigation departments. This combined academic and litigation experience informs his approach to complex financial remedies, particularly those involving business and corporate structures.
EVENT BOOKING:
FULL-DAY
If you wish to book for the full-day, you can complete the booking form below.
For all GROUP BOOKING enquiries, please email events@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk with your party’s details. We will then send over an invoice which can be paid by bank transfer or via credit card over the telephone.
PLEASE NOTE: This site checks your email against our membership records. If you work for one of our corporate member firms, you may be eligible to receive the discounted member rate. If you are unsure or are being provided with a different rate, please contact us to verify your membership.
If you think you should be entitled to the member rate but it is coming up as the non-member rate, please STOP your online booking and contact events@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk
MORNING/AFTERNOON ONLY
For morning/afternoon only bookings, please email events@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk with your chosen ticket (morning OR afternoon) and we will process your registration. Once complete, we will send over an official booking confirmation with an invoice attached, which can be paid via bank transfer or by credit card over the telephone.
Please DO NOT attempt to book using the online booking form below, as you will be charged for the full-day ticket.
If you have any queries about booking, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with the Events Team at events@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk