Briefing a barrister for the first time can feel intimidating, especially when it arises in moments of urgency or uncertainty. That anxiety is entirely normal. Barristers understand that litigation is rarely neat: instructions change, deadlines compress, and things sometimes go awry. A brief is not a test of competence, but the start of a professional conversation. Good counsel are trained to think on their feet and steady matters when conditions are less than ideal.

Burnout in family law is not simple fatigue but a slow erosion of the inner capacities that make this work possible. When we spend our days absorbing trauma, conflict, and the emotional worlds our clients cannot hold, the weight settles into the body and reshapes the mind. Understanding burnout as a predictable response - not a personal failing - is the first step in preserving the self that does the work.

Court-ordered expert assessments play a critical role in parenting disputes. When a party refuses to participate, the Court may still proceed, draw adverse inferences, and rely on incomplete reports. Conner & Conner (No 2) confirms that resisting assessment does not create appealable error and seldom assists the non-participating parent.

An unexpected courtroom experience revealed the fragile line between competence and compassion. A solicitor, overwhelmed and unprepared, struggled through an unwinnable case. Balancing empathy with my duty to my client underscored a truth often forgotten: advocacy requires more than technical skill. It demands humanity. The most honourable practitioners embody both excellence and kindness.