Olivia Piercy & Anna Roiser discuss LSPOs and economic abuse in The Review
Olivia and Anna’s article appeared in The Review, Issue 230 May/June 2024 (page 26).
Olivia Piercy, Partner and Anna Roiser, Senior Knowledge Lawyer in our Family & Relationships department, examine how Legal Services Payment Orders (LSPOs) can inadvertently perpetuate economic abuse in family proceedings.
They argue that the current judicial practice of capping legal costs for the financially weaker party often places victims of abuse at a disadvantage, especially when the other party is free to spend without restriction. This imbalance risks replicating the financial control that may have existed during the relationship, undermining the protective purpose of LSPOs.
Olivia and Anna call for a more nuanced and consistent judicial approach that recognises the ongoing impact of economic abuse. They stress that LSPOs should be applied in a way that genuinely levels the playing field, ensuring that victims can access fair legal representation without being constrained by arbitrary cost limits. Their analysis highlights the need for reform to better safeguard vulnerable individuals and uphold the integrity of financial remedy proceedings in the family justice system.
Read the full article on The Review website [external website].