Finding love is an exciting journey – but one that often comes with questions and complexities.

You might be shifting your focus from career to searching for the one. You might be just looking for companionship. Or you might be divorced or widowed and looking to take that leap of faith and find love again.

Regardless of your circumstances, it's critical to ensure your personal and financial safety as you get to know your new spouse.

Our latest podcast brings together experts from the legal and dating industries to support you every step of the way. Join Family Law partner and host Zahra Pabani, as she sits down with special guest Rachel MacLynn of exclusive matchmaking agency MacLynn International and Irwin Mitchell colleagues Phillip Rhodes and Yousafa Hazara.

A lack of resources for local planning authorities, supply chain issues, and a rise in land values has crippled the development and planning sector.

This has resulted in the lowest level of planning applications and completions in a decade.

But with the government determined to get Britain building again – including its pledge to chase down the 1.5 million shortfall in new homes – it’s also an exciting time for the sector.

Join legal experts Claire Petricca-Riding, Nicola Gooch and Pamela Chesterman as they look back over developments from the last 12 months and outline key priorities for 2025.

In this second episode of our new podcast series, our experts are back on the couch with advice on how to embrace life after divorce. This time, they’re tackling one of the greatest concerns for anyone going through a separation: finances.

It’s a subject that raises so many questions: what if your former partner isn’t being truthful about their finances? How do you make sure children are secure? But there’s a number of options to help you find an arrangement that works for your family, and appreciate the opportunities that come with your new financial freedom.

Host Zahra Pabani is joined by family law partner Fran Hipperson; Irwin Mitchell’s Head of Family Law, Clare Wiseman; and Head of Chambers at 29 Bedford Row, Nicholas Allen KC. They discuss:

• The options available to help you reach a settlement
• What to do if further issues arise once an agreement has been reached
• The benefits of using a lawyer to settle your finances, and how they can support you through the process
• What the court process looks like, and why people may choose to use this route.

One of the toughest realisations that comes with a divorce is that you’re not going to be able to see your children every day. New routines can be challenging, but co-operation and communication can make the adjustment much easier for your family, creating a long-term foundation of trust and security.

Host Zahra Pabani is joined by family law partner and mediator Phillip Rhodes; former leading BBC journalist and now family mediator Joanna Gosling; and finally, coach and founder of The Co-Parent Way Marcie Shaoul. They discuss:

• The key elements of a successful co-parenting plan
• How to navigate differences in parenting style
• Ensuring children feel loved and secure during a divorce
• The support available to help parents reach an agreement.

Paralympic-gold-medallist, Hannah Cockroft, hosts the first video edition of the Irwin Mitchell podcast. She’s joined by gold-medal-sprinter, James Ellington, and aspiring para-athletes, our clients, Ben Lukowski and Richard Davies.

The athletes share their passion for sport and the role it’s played in their lives. Wanting to encourage listeners at the beginning of their own sporting journeys, and those facing similar challenges, they discuss:

• Their journeys from aspiring to professional athletes and the milestones they’ve achieved along the way.
• The different places they’ve found support and what it means to them.
• The mental and physical benefits of sport, particularly for those with disabilities.
• Their ambitions as they look forward to the next steps in their careers.

Plus, find out what advice each athlete would give to someone exploring the opportunities in sport for the first time.

Have you got a plan in place for your pension? Are you confident it will look after you and your family once you finish working?

In this podcast, Zahra Pabani is joined by partners Rose Macfarlane and Phillip Rhodes, and Edward Tomlinson, Head of Financial Planning at Irwin Mitchell. They explain the different options available for your pension and share their best tips for maximising your cash for the future.

They discuss:

• How to plan realistically while the economy remains uncertain
• How to deal with pensions in the event of a divorce
• Why it’s important to consider your pension as part of your estate planning
• The new government’s approach to pensions, and how you can respond to it
• Why legal advice is so important when it comes to planning for your pension.

Finding the best education setting to meet your child’s needs can make a big difference to their future outcomes. But what happens when your child has special educational needs, and you don’t agree with the local authority about where they should go to school?

Our public law and human rights specialist, Lauren Haines, is joined by our client Craig Dunn in our latest podcast. Craig is a single parent and full-time carer to his 18-year-old daughter Ruby, who has complex learning needs and relies on support to keep her safe and assist with her personal care.

Craig shares his lived experience of Ruby’s transition into a residential education setting for the first time, as they discuss:

• The need for legal support and how we helped him secure the right provision for Ruby.
• Ruby’s transition to post-19 residential provision.
• Tips and advice for others in a similar position, and/or starting their own journey.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Captivate.FM.

Further information and resources are available on our website.

Whether you’ve moved into a leadership role or to a completely different industry, career changes can be challenging and rewarding at the same time.

In our latest podcast, partner Zahra Pabani is joined by recently retired High Court Judge Sir Nicholas Francis; Lesley Spencer, Business and Executive coach; and our newly appointed Head of Family Law, Clare Wiseman. They share their stories of career progression and provide top tips on how you can manage your next steps.

They discuss:

• How to develop the skills needed to reach the next level of your career
• How the conversation around work/life balance has developed in recent years
• The challenges of leadership and how to manage them
• Where to find motivation and inspiration for your career.