Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
BOOK REVIEW
THE INTERNATIONAL FAMILY LAW PRACTICE
6th edition
Professor David Hodson OBE
and seventeen expert contributors
ISBN 978 1 78473 477 0
LexisNexis/Family Law
lexisnexis.co.uk
‘A BASIC POINT OF REFERENCE’ ACROSS THE WHOLE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL FAMILY LAW -- NOW IN A NEW SIXTH EDITION
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister” and Mediator
Family lawyers who are at all globally minded are likely -- as the world starts to open up again after almost two years of Covid -- to find themselves interested in -- and involved in -- international family law. That being the case, it is a certainty that such practitioners will be a lot more than merely interested in the new sixth edition of this now well-established work of reference by Professor Hodson -- and seventeen expert contributors -- recently published by LexisNexis in a new sixth edition.
Writing in the foreword, Nigel Lowe, Emeritus Professor of Law at Cardiff University, reiterates the point made in previous editions of this work that ‘as so many practitioners now deal with international family law work, it can no longer be considered a distinct specialisation.’ But distinct or not, family law in general is a challenging area of law requiring specialist skills, sensitivity and knowledge, which would indicate that international family law in particular, is an area which requires further enrichment of such skills.
‘The enduring strength of this work,’ says Professor Lowe, is that ‘it provides practitioners with a basic point of reference across the whole international family law field’ -- and fortunately, it is ‘squarely aimed at the practitioner and is replete with good practice advice.’
As most lawyers will agree, the key value of this book is that the plan for this particular edition was to produce it not merely after the UK’s exit from the EU, but after 1st January 2021, the morning after the UK had left the EU ‘in all elements of law’. However, even this proved too early and for a number of reasons, explained in the text, the actual publication date was moved to June 2021. The book’s topicality at this date is, as a result, unassailable.
Most notable about the new sixth edition of the book is that it presents a useful compendium of expertise and comment from its seventeen erudite contributors. And as Nigel Lowe points out, its breadth of coverage includes such issues as divorce, same-sex and cohabitation arrangements, overseas divorce, child abduction, international adoption and much more, including important chapters on Islamic law.
Also examined are such matters as pensions trusts, cross border dispute resolution and immigration issues -- and most urgent and sensitive of all -- forced marriage and FGM -- which impact specifically on women.
Whatever the subject, the relevant chapters cover it with thoroughness, clarity, and depth, offering a consistent focus on recent changes in law and practice. This in short, is a work of reference which no practitioner in international family law should be without.
The date of publication of the new sixth hardback edition is cited as 31st August 2021.
Do visit the publisher's website for latest editions and new titles.
BOOK REVIEW
THE INTERNATIONAL FAMILY LAW PRACTICE
6th edition
Professor David Hodson OBE
and seventeen expert contributors
ISBN 978 1 78473 477 0
LexisNexis/Family Law
lexisnexis.co.uk
‘A BASIC POINT OF REFERENCE’ ACROSS THE WHOLE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL FAMILY LAW -- NOW IN A NEW SIXTH EDITION
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister” and Mediator
Family lawyers who are at all globally minded are likely -- as the world starts to open up again after almost two years of Covid -- to find themselves interested in -- and involved in -- international family law. That being the case, it is a certainty that such practitioners will be a lot more than merely interested in the new sixth edition of this now well-established work of reference by Professor Hodson -- and seventeen expert contributors -- recently published by LexisNexis in a new sixth edition.
Writing in the foreword, Nigel Lowe, Emeritus Professor of Law at Cardiff University, reiterates the point made in previous editions of this work that ‘as so many practitioners now deal with international family law work, it can no longer be considered a distinct specialisation.’ But distinct or not, family law in general is a challenging area of law requiring specialist skills, sensitivity and knowledge, which would indicate that international family law in particular, is an area which requires further enrichment of such skills.
‘The enduring strength of this work,’ says Professor Lowe, is that ‘it provides practitioners with a basic point of reference across the whole international family law field’ -- and fortunately, it is ‘squarely aimed at the practitioner and is replete with good practice advice.’
As most lawyers will agree, the key value of this book is that the plan for this particular edition was to produce it not merely after the UK’s exit from the EU, but after 1st January 2021, the morning after the UK had left the EU ‘in all elements of law’. However, even this proved too early and for a number of reasons, explained in the text, the actual publication date was moved to June 2021. The book’s topicality at this date is, as a result, unassailable.
Most notable about the new sixth edition of the book is that it presents a useful compendium of expertise and comment from its seventeen erudite contributors. And as Nigel Lowe points out, its breadth of coverage includes such issues as divorce, same-sex and cohabitation arrangements, overseas divorce, child abduction, international adoption and much more, including important chapters on Islamic law.
Also examined are such matters as pensions trusts, cross border dispute resolution and immigration issues -- and most urgent and sensitive of all -- forced marriage and FGM -- which impact specifically on women.
Whatever the subject, the relevant chapters cover it with thoroughness, clarity, and depth, offering a consistent focus on recent changes in law and practice. This in short, is a work of reference which no practitioner in international family law should be without.
The date of publication of the new sixth hardback edition is cited as 31st August 2021.
Do visit the publisher's website for latest editions and new titles.
