The Family Department at Mishcon de Reya is delighted to support the new series of the podcast 'I'm Absolutely Fine!' produced by Annabel Rivkin and Emilie McMeekan, authors of the best-selling book 'I’m Absolutely Fine!', and founders of the website The Midult. The website is a forum-led platform designed to deliver targeted news, useful information, community and connection for the modern middle aged woman. In this series, Annabel and Emilie will be discussing marriage, divorce and everything in between.
Sandra Davis, Kate Clark and Claire Yorke feature in episodes 1-3.
In the first episode, Kate Clark talks about co-parenting when one decides to have a baby with a friend, the legal parameters around it and the important things one needs to consider. "First of all, it's really important to think about how this is going to work," says Kate. "Are you going to go to a licenced fertility clinic to arrange this? Are you going to do something a bit more DIY at home, which will have ramifications for who the legal parent is going to be?"
To listen to episode 1, please click here [Kate's section starts at 37 minutes].
In the second episode in series, Sandra Davis talks about divorce, family law and the importance of timing and taking legal advice before separation. "Before you even think about separation you should plan, plan, plan. This is not for the faint-hearted. Divorce, separation is brutal. There will be unanticipated consequences." – says Sandra. "You have to be really, really sure that you want to battle though life on your own. So go and see a therapist before you even begin to think about seeing a lawyer and/or see a lawyer before you think about telling your spouse or your children."
In this episode, Sandra also explores some of the common "divorce myths" in a "true or false" quick-fire.
To listen to Sandra's interview, please click here.
In the third episode, Claire Yorke discusses co-habitation and the common misconceptions around the rights that a couple has in this type of relationship: "The minute you get married, you open up rights and obligations to each other".
Claire also talks about the power of decision-making on behalf of a loved one, for example when a partner is catastrophically injured or has developed a compromising addiction. In her words, the outcome "will really depend on how much forward planning has been done".
To listen to the final episode, please click here.