Family and Children

We understand the emotional and sensitive nature of family issues and the difficulties surrounding this. We have a sensible and sensitive approach to dealing with these issues and have family lawyers who are happy to help you where they can. 

Our range of work includes:

• Family Breakdown & Divorce - Our family law team are able to help you obtain a divorce or represent you in responding to divorce proceedings. They can offer you advice on the process and assist you with making an application for divorce to ensure the process dealt with in the most straightforward manner.
• Children’s law and contact - We can help facilitate contact; whether this is helping parties come to an informal agreement or alternatively, it is felt an application to court for a order is the best way to ensure family ties are maintained. If your marriage or relationship has ended, we will work with you at achieving the best arrangements for your children, including their financial support. We will help you to try and reach agreement with the other parent if possible. However, where agreement cannot be reached we will apply to the court for an order to resolve matters. 
• If your children are not living with you, we will try to and assist you in maintaining their relationship with you as a parent. 
• If you are having difficulty seeing your children, we can negotiate for you and, where necessary, apply to the court for a Contact Order. 
• If your children live with you and you are having difficulties agreeing contact with their parent we will help you to agree arrangements for contact or help you to apply to the court for an order if needed. 
• If you were not married to the other parent of a child, we can help you obtain a Parental Responsibility Order giving you an involvement in the child's education, health and welfare. 
• If you fear your children may be taken from you to live elsewhere in England or abroad, we can apply to the court for a Prohibited Steps Order. 
• If your children have been abducted, we can assist in obtaining their return. We frequently act for parents whose children have been taken abroad illegally. 
• If you have been the victim of domestic violence or suffered abuse from a family member, allow us to help you out of this predicament. We can assist you in obtaining orders to help protect you and your loved ones against violence and abuse. 
• Protecting your financial interests now in and the future

 We will help you to agree a financial settlement which is realistic and enables you to retain sufficient assets and income for your future. 

 Our advice and negotiating skills will ensure you retain a fair share of those assets jointly acquired during your relationship including property. The potential division of accrued pension rights is another area in which we can work to protect your future financial well-being. 

 Where children are involved, we assist you to agree a reasonable level of maintenance for them - looking after the interests of the children whilst taking into account the overall financial picture of both parties. 

 Joint liabilities such as finance agreements, overdrafts and jointly-owned credit cards can be sorted out by us so they become individual responsibilities. 

 We can help you create an agreement that reflects your intentions. 

 For those intending to marry, we can give you advice on how a pre-marital agreement (also known as a 'pre-nuptial' agreement) may protect you from financial loss in the unlikely event of your marriage not lasting. 

 If you come to a marriage with your own assets, it usually makes common sense to take out a pre-marital agreement. Those approaching a second marriage may have a particular need to enter a pre-marital agreement. 

 Where both parties are in agreement as to division of finances and need to formalise the agreement a “Consent Order” is submitted to the court. Once sealed by the court it becomes a binding order. It is always a preferable option to resolve matters amicably both in terms of costs and to avoid the stress, uncertainty and anxiety of court proceedings.