LawTorn: Conversations from the Front Line of Family Fights
Hosted by Samara Dutton, Partner in our Private Wealth Disputes Team, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in our Family Team. LawTorn is a podcast exploring family law, divorce, wills disputes, and inheritance challenges.
When family disputes turn into legal battles, emotions run high and the court system can feel daunting. In this new podcast series, Samara and Philippa draw on their experience in family and inheritance law to unpack the legal processes while honouring the very human stories behind this kind of litigation. They discuss the emotional and practical difficulties their clients face, the similarities and differences between family and civil court’s approach to these, and how lawyers can help clients find resolution and regain a sense of calm amid conflict.
Our hosts will explore topics including common-law marriage, will challenges, prenups and postnups, as well as the moral questions that arise when families fracture. With insights from guest experts and colleagues, LawTorn aims to demystify complex legal concepts and procedures while making family law and dispute resolution more accessible.
If you have a question you’d like Samara and Philippa to discuss, please send it to lawtorn@collyerbristow.com (mailto:lawtorn@collyerbristow.com). New episodes will be released on the last Monday of each month.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice. Appropriate legal or other professional opinion should be taken before taking or omitting to take any action in respect of any specific problem. Collyer Bristow LLP accepts no liability for any loss or damage which may arise from reliance on information contained in this material.
Can I Move Abroad with My Children After Separation?
In this episode of LawTorn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team at Collyer Bristow, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, explore the complex legal issues surrounding relocation disputes involving children after a relationship has broken down. Responding to a listener's question, they consider the situation of a mother who wishes to return to her native Italy with her two children following the breakdown of her marriage, but whose husband refuses to consent to...
29 Jun 2026
Can an Unmarried Partner Claim a Share of a Property?
In this episode of LawTorn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team at Collyer Bristow, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, explore the legal rights of unmarried couples when a relationship ends unexpectedly through the death of one partner. Responding to a listener's question, they consider the difficult situation of a woman whose partner dies without a will after they had built a life together in a property owned solely in his name. Despite contributing to the...
27 Apr 2026
Prenuptial Agreements in the UK: Are They Legally Binding?
In this episode of LawTorn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team at Collyer Bristow, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, discuss prenuptial agreements in the UK and whether they are legally binding in the event of divorce. Responding to a listener’s question, they explore a real-life scenario involving an engaged couple where one partner owns a growing tech business and the other has more modest assets, a teenage child from a previous relationship, and concer...
30 Mar 2026
Marriage, Capacity and Control: The Risks of Predatory Relationships
In this episode of LawTorn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, explore the increasingly concerning issue of predatory marriage, where vulnerable individuals, often elderly or lacking mental capacity, are targeted, manipulated, and in some cases coerced into marriage with serious legal consequences. They discuss the typical fact pattern in these cases and examine how marriage can unintentionally revoke an existing will, c...
23 Feb 2026
Can You Contest a Will? A Conversation About 75 Act Claims and Inheritance
In this episode of LawTorn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, consider what can be done when a parent’s will leaves everything to one child and nothing to the other. Using a listener’s question, they explore two distinct legal routes: challenging the validity of a will, including on the grounds of undue influence, and bringing a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The discussion e...
26 Jan 2026
How Does Christmas Affect Divorce and Children? A Family Law Perspective
In this episode of Law Torn, Samara Dutton, Partner in the Private Wealth Disputes team, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, reflect on the festive period discuss how the Christmas can bring family tensions and disputes into sharper focus. They explore the common perception that divorce rates increase after Christmas, reflecting on whether this is supported by experience or evidence, and consider how extended time together, family expectations and blended family dynamics can place...
29 Dec 2025
The Role of Financial Coaching in Family Disputes with Kristin Cunliffe
In this episode of Law Torn, Samara and Philippa are joined by their first guest, Kristin Cunliffe, to discuss the role emotions play in financial decision-making during family litigation. Kristin is a financial planner, financial coach and educator with over 25 years’ experience supporting individuals through divorce and bereavement. She explains how financial coaching differs from traditional financial advice, focusing on a client’s relationship with money rather than budgeting or financial...
24 Nov 2025
Common Law Marriage: What Cohabiting Couples Need to Know
In this episode, Samara Dutton, Partner in Collyer Bristow’s Private Wealth Disputes team, is joined by Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family team, to explore the widespread misconception of common law marriage, a “status” believed by 46% of the population, yet one that has no legal standing in England and Wales. Using a listener scenario involving a decade-long relationship, two children, and a home owned by one partner, Samara and Philippa break down: Why common law marriage doesn’t existWh...
27 Oct 2025
Introducing LawTorn - Exploring Family & Inheritance Disputes
In this introductory episode, hosts Samara Dutton, Partner in Collyer Bristow’s Private Wealth Disputes Team, and Philippa Dolan, Partner in the Family Team, introduce LawTorn — a new podcast exploring what happens when family relationships break down and disputes spill into the legal arena. Samara and Philippa discuss the inspiration behind the series, the growing intersection between family and inheritance disputes, and the emotional impact of litigation on clients. They share their goal of...
28 Mar 2024
Chapter 6: The Era of Andrew Alfred; Croydon, the Crimea and Colonial Calcutta
"Following the conclusion of the Dyneley reign, the move to 4 Bedford Row and with John Coverdale now as senior partner, the firm began to grow again. Having been an articled clerk Andrew Alfred Collyer had now arrived as a partner. His family were originally from Farnham but moved to Beddington near Croydon. A local archive extract records: “In Beddington Place lived Mr Collyer Bristow, the head of a firm of London lawyers, who was much beloved by all who knew him and was also a generous supporter of all good works in the parish”.
Partner Michael Drake delivers Chapter 6 of his book on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
28 Mar 2024
Chapter 1: Articles of Clerkship
"When I arrived at 4 Bedford Row in August 1969, I did at least know a little more than 14 year old Ralph Kemp in May 1915. But I had no idea of the extraordinary history, tradition and heritage of a firm which had first established itself so many years earlier."
Partner Michael Drake delivers Chapter 1 of his book on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
28 Mar 2024
Chapter 4: Three Founding Families
"The origins of Collyer Bristow can be traced back to the reign of Charles II, and perhaps even earlier to the reign of his father. Surprisingly for such a long established London practice, the firm’s roots stem from three families based in the north of England; two from Yorkshire and one from County Durham. All three had immensely strong legal traditions and over many decades sons were despatched south to London, to the Inns of Court to follow in their father’s and grandfather’s legal footsteps."
Partner Michael Drake delivers Chapter 4 of his book on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
28 Mar 2024
Chapter 3: Return to Bedford Row
"So on 1 April 1984 almost exactly 10 years to the day since I left I returned to 4 Bedford Row. One of the key reasons for my decision to return was what I already knew about CB, its culture, way of life and reputation, the quality of the partners and staff, the offices, the clients and so far as I knew its financial stability."
Partner Michael Drake reads Chapter 3 of his book on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
28 Mar 2024
Chapter 5: The Dyneley Dynasty and the Move to 4 Bedford Row
"It was 1760 when Robert Dyneley and Charles Ashmall set up together in practice. On 12 November 1762 they were both admitted to Gray’s Inn and by now their new chambers were established at 1 Field Court in Gray’s Inn. The history of the Row takes us back almost as far as the story of the firm. The west side of the Row was built in part at least, in the early 1690s, by Nicholas Barbon, who was ultimately responsible for much of the works connecting the City and Westminster."
Partner Michael Drake narrates Chapter 5 of his book on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
26 Sept 2023
A History of Collyer Bristow: Introduction
Michael Drake introduces his new book and podcast series on the history of one of the UK’s longest established law firms, Collyer Bristow.
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