Our Legal Practices
Family Law
We are able to offer a comprehensive service dealing with all aspects of the breakdown of a marriage or civil partnership, from the divorce or separation itself to resolving issues relating to children and finances. We are aware that these are difficult and often painful issues for our clients and our aim is to reduce our clients' stress levels and achieve the outcome they seek as quickly and inexpensively as possible.
We explain the different grounds on which proceedings can be brought and the steps, which are very largely administrative, (unless a divorce is defended) and rarely involve an attendance at Court by the clients themselves, that are involved in obtaining a decree of divorce or formal separation.
We offer experience, patience and understanding of the difficulties facing our clients who find themselves dealing with the breakdown of their relationship. We explain to our clients the various factors that need to be taken into account in resolving financial issues, and we endeavour to help our clients to engage initially in attempting to reach a resolution by agreement with their former spouse/partner and only if those efforts have proved unsuccessful will we then assist them with the court process to obtain a financial settlement of issues relating to maintenance for both our client and any children as well as settlements relating to the former matrimonial home and where each of parties will live following their separation, and division of any other capital assets the parties may have.
With regard to the children of the family, the Court will always consider the needs of the children to be of paramount concern and we attempt to help our clients put their personal difficulties with their former spouse/partner behind them and to focus on the needs of their children so that the best possible arrangements can be made with regard to where the children will live and the amount of time they will spend with each of their parents. If it is not possible to achieve this through negotiation or mediation then we assist our clients with the court process that has to be gone through to obtain the Court's decision on these issues.
If and when necessary we can obtain injunctions where appropriate in cases of violence or abuse as well as unlawful attempts to take a minor out of the UK without the other parent's consent or the consent of the Court.
Marriage or relationship breakdown often results in Grandparents being excluded from seeing their Grandchildren. Where that happens we can assist trying to encourage the parties to mediate their difficulties so that the grandparents can see their grandchildren, but if that should be unsuccessful by applying to Court for permission to apply for a contact order to be made in their favour, as grandparents, unlike parents, do not have an automatic right to make an application to Court. The Court will consider all the circumstances including the depth of the connection between grandparent and grandchild, and most importantly the potential benefit to the grandchild or Grandchildren balanced against any perceived harm that further contact might generate.
We can also advise on pre and post nuptial settlements and inheritance claims.