This is not a definitive list of everything that we can help you with but we hope it gives you a view of the sort of work that is carried out by our family solicitors. If you have a problem that does not fall into the below categories then you can still make an appointment to come in to see us under our initial fixed fee interview scheme and we can discuss whether we are able to assist.
- Pre-Nuptial Agreements. We can advise on and prepare Pre-nuptial Agreements which are documents that parties intending to marry can sign to indicate how they would like their finances dealt with should the marriage break down.
- Living Together Agreements. If you are cohabiting or intending to cohabit it is possible to draw up an agreement to record your intentions regarding, for example, whether one party will have any claim against the other’s home.
- Divorce Proceedings. If the marriage breaks down then it may be necessary to issue divorce proceedings to bring the marriage to an end.
- Separation Agreements. If a marriage breaks down, it is not always essential to issue divorce proceedings straightaway and there may be reasons not to do so. However it may still be sensible to agree how the finances or child arrangements should be dealt with and draw up an agreement as to what should happen in respect of the finances.
- Resolving finances when a marriage breaks down. As well as issuing divorce proceedings, we can also assist with the often complex area of sorting out how the finances should be dealt with. This includes dealing with capital aspects such as the house but also the question of continuing maintenance and the division of pensions and other assets.
- Finances on Cohabitation breakdown. Even if you are not married, if the relationship breaks down there may still be property and finances that need to be divided. We can advise you on what can be done, negotiate a settlement or if necessary make a court application to protect your interests.
- Civil Partnerships. If you are in a civil partnership which breaks down again there can be a number of issues that need to be dealt with including bringing the civil partnership to an end and resolving the financial aspects.
- Child Arrangements. When a relationship breaks down it is important that you agree what the arrangements are going to be for the children as to where they will live and what time they spend with the other parent. We can advise about this and are fully aware that sometimes the issues that arise in this situation can be very difficult.
- Children specific issue and prohibited steps. There can be other issues relating to the children other than where they will live. Examples are specific issues as to what school they go to and the difficult circumstances which can occur if one party wishes to move away from the area, possibly even to a different country.
- Parental Responsibility Agreements. If parents are unmarried, questions can arise as to whether the parents have parental responsibility for a child. We can explain what this means and what steps can be taken to resolve the position
- Child Maintenance. Agreeing the level of maintenance to be paid for the children can be complex. The Child Maintenance Service (previously called the Child Support Agency) now provides guidelines as to the amount and we can help you understand what is needed and how the formula will work for your family.
- Spousal Maintenance and maintenance variation. Sometimes one of the most urgent aspects when a relationship breaks down is working out whether maintenance should be paid by one party to the other and if so how much it should be – and for how long it should be paid. Getting this aspect right can be difficult. If maintenance is paid, then this may well need to be reviewed from time to time as circumstances change.If there is domestic violence within a relationship then it may be necessary to apply to the court for an injunction to protect one party from the other’s behaviour. These applications are sometimes urgent. These days the courts interpret domestic violence widely and we can advise you about the behaviour that will give grounds for an injunction application.
- Care Proceedings. If a local authority applies for a child to be taken into care it is likely that you will need urgent representation. We do not deal with legal aid work at our firm but we do have experience of care proceedings and will be happy to represent parties who find themselves involved in such proceedings.
- Grandparents Contact. It is not only the parents that may find themselves cut off from children when a relationship breaks down and we are happy to advise grandparents who find themselves in this difficult situation.
- Change of Name Deeds. On the breakdown of a relationship one or other party may wish to change their name (for example to go back to their maiden name) and we can advise on this. The rules are quite strict on when a child’s surname can be changed and again we can advise on that aspect.
