This authoritative set of best practice guidelines has been fully updated, revised and extended. Developed by the Law Society in association with other leading organisations, interest groups and figures in the field, this is the text to follow for family law practitioners. The second edition of this indispensable book updates the Protocol with particular changes to the sections on cohabitation, domestic violence and mediation. The changes include: a new section on committals; parental responsibilities for unmarried fathers under the Adoption and Children Act 2002; changes to mediation including collaborative law and other ADR methods; domestic violence and its effect on contact and residence applications; the effect of the new Civil Partnerships Act 2005; and, new and expanded appendices.