Lord Justice Thorpe: Interdisciplinarity and Internationality in Modern Family Justice Systems

The Rt Hon Lord Justice Thorpe Head of International Family Justice UK

This article is based on an address to the International Society of Family Laws Regional Conference University of Chester July 2007.

There can be few family justice systems that have not had to adapt law and practice essentially designed to serve the needs of the citizens born and bred in order to meet the challenge of the restless mobility of the modern world. Many factors contribute to this mobility. Vulnerable people flee from barbaric despotism. Others emigrate in search of economic opportunities when the living wage in their country of birth may be no more than 5% of the living wage in the country of their choice. Others emigrate to escape the rigours of the dark northern winters. Others bond and marry across continents as a result of a holiday romance or through internet chat room flirtations. For the affluent employee international banks hedge funds and private equity investors demand mobility. The super rich entrepreneur is likely to maintain luxurious homes across the world.

This is our modern world and its impact on our...

Read the full article here.