Northern Lights Conference 2025

The Northern Lights DR conference returns to Leeds on 14th November, with a line-up of speakers to educate and inform on a range of topics.

Secure your conference ticket by 16 October to take advantage of the early bird rate of £95.

After this date, tickets will be £120.

Info: After a bit of a lull in the aftermath of Covid, Collaborative Law is back! - Kiren Dulkoan, Sam Sinclair and Gary O’Brien regularly practice in Collaborative Law and will share their recent experiences, tips on how they have successfully attracted collaborative work, and how they use the benefits and USPs of this resurgent process to drive better client outcomes.

Info: AI is transforming how we work, and legal practice is no exception. In this interactive workshop, you will explore how AI can help with everyday family law tasks, moving beyond basic usage to deliver genuinely useful, ethical solutions.

We will start by explaining AI in plain English—what it actually does versus what it promises—before demonstrating how AI tools work in practice.

Through guided discussion, we will identify where AI can genuinely help your daily practice. Then focus on the key skill that makes AI work: writing clear instructions (called "prompts") and see how asking AI the right questions gets you useful answers.

Finally, we will cover the essential legal considerations: your professional obligations, client confidentiality, disclosure rules, and privacy requirements. You will understand both the opportunities and the risks.

You will leave knowing what AI can realistically do for your practice and how to use it responsibly in your day-to-day work and organisation.

Info: Is the language we as family lawyers use helping families - or harming them? The language of family law has evolved out of an adversarial system that is hundreds of years old, and much of the terminology hasn’t kept pace with modern values or the needs of separating families. This interactive session dives into the Language Matters report commissioned by the President of the Family Division. Join the conversation and explore how we can reframe the language of family law to better support our clients and their families. Your words matter—make them count.

Info: The legal profession is demanding, fast-paced, and high-stakes and it can be hard to tell whether the pressure you’re feeling is energizing you or slowly wearing you down.
In this session, Psychotherapist and Supervisor Kerry Lawlor will explore the difference between the burn that drives performance and the burnout that depletes energy, engagement, and wellbeing.
You’ll learn how to recognize the early warning signs in yourself and others, practical strategies to protect your mental and emotional health, and ways to foster a culture of resilience within your firm.
Join us for an interactive discussion that blends psychological insight, reflection, and actionable tools to help you—and your colleagues—thrive under pressure rather than just survive.

Info: In April 2024, significant amendments were made to the Family Procedure Rules, particularly to Part 3, which has historically been underutilised. This workshop will explore the practical implications of these changes and how they are influencing the way separating families approach resolution. Sarah Manning and St John’s Buildings will cover;
• Emerging trends in how families—and the professionals supporting them—are managing separation post-reform.
• Practical tips for guiding families through the available Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR) options.
• The strategic advantage of assembling a multidisciplinary team early in the process.
• How private FDRs (pFDR) and neutral evaluations can contribute to successful outcomes.
• How to seamlessly transition to arbitration if an impasse is reached.
• A legal update on the courts’ evolving approach and increased emphasis on NCDR

Info: Actors will perform the play which aims to hold a mirror up to the family law system and the real impact it can make on families

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Brighter Future