By Elizabeth Adams, barrister, 3PB
The majority of Family Law practitioners will be no stranger to clients with vulnerabilities or additional needs. By virtue of the fact of their vulnerabilities, clients with these difficulties are sadly more likely to end up in Family proceedings, whether it is a private matter involving domestic abuse or public law proceedings.
The need to protect and enable vulnerable clients and witnesses to participate properly throughout family proceedings is enshrined in law via the Family Procedure Rules 3A and accompanying Practice Direction 3AA. Further extensive guidance is available within the ‘Toolkits’ on the Advocate’s Gateway website. When determining whether a client is vulnerable, legal representatives should consider the full range of matters set out in...