The Family Law Podcast

In another special edition of the Family Law Podcast, we once again return to the Langham. This time for the annual debate, the motion was “This chambers believes that robots can and should take over the FRC”. Tune in to find out whether long time debate champion Annie Ward retains her crown. 

In this special edition of the Family Law Podcast, Edward Boydell KC speaks with HHJ Hess and offers an insight into life on the bench and some topical issues within family law. The recording was made at the Pump Court Chambers annual family finance update at the Langham Hotel on 5 March 2026. 

The hotly anticipated part 2 of Pump Court Chambers’ Family Law Podcast two part special sees host, Rebekah Batt, discuss the privilege against self-incrimination in public law proceedings with Leslie Samuels KC, with discussion around section 98 warnings, whether conditions or limitations can or will be imposed on disclosure into criminal proceedings and advice to a party facing concurrent public law and criminal proceedings.

In Part 1 of a two part special relating to privilege against self-incrimination, Leslie Samuels KC of Pump Court Chambers joins host Rebekah Batt to discuss the issue in the context of private children proceedings. This includes the extent of any such privilege, disclosure between family and criminal proceedings and guidance for practitioners dealing with the issue.

In the first episode of the Pump Court Chambers Family Law Podcast for 2026, new host Rebekah Batt is joined by Penny Howe KC, of Pump Court Chambers, and Sarah Williams, of Forsters, to discuss the news that the UK Government intends to repeal the presumption of parental involvement enshrined within the Children Act 1989. They discuss the circumstances surrounding the introduction of the provision, which is now set to be repealed and what impact any repeal may have, in particular, having regard to the different approaches in private and public children proceedings. 

A teaser from hosts Maria Henty and Rebekah Batt about what’s coming up in the second half of the current series of the Family Law Podcast in 2026!