Things have changed dramatically since then. Family law, which was an economic desert as far as practitioners were concerned, has now transformed into something dramatically different. Undoubtedly, the quality of family law has improved greatly since the time a young Master McDowell was attempting to improve his skills as a junior barrister in that area. Equally, however, the costs have grown phenomenally, to the point where fortunes are expended by people sorting out family differences. Any protracted litigation is an economic and familial disaster for the people who get caught up in the system.