Well we have a vested interest, so we think the answer is yes, but let’s take a look at the reasons why (and why not).
Like it or not divorce has wide reaching legal implications for your children, and your finances.
If you and your ex can agree arrangements for the children between yourselves, that is almost always the best way forward and hopefully there’s no need for anyone else to become involved. You may want to have a quick chat with a solicitor but it is very likely that you don’t need to do anything formal.
Finances are different. It is very easy to misunderstand the legal implications of divorce, and this can leave you vulnerable. This is why it is always a good idea to take advice. It might be all you need is a one off meeting (we charge a fixed fee of £100 for this type of meeting) to check that what you are doing is sensible.
In some situations it may be necessary to instruct a solicitor, particularly if you do not trust your ex. You need an experienced solicitor who specialises in family law. We are experts at dealing with this type of situation. We know what to look for to make sure that money isn’t being siphoned off, or hidden in trusts or companies or with family members. We can take steps to freeze assets if there is a risk of money “disappearing”. Yes lawyers can be expensive, but we need to earn our fees – we will explain beforehand what the options are and you can decide how you want to instruct us. We always think about whether you can do work yourself, with us advising in the background, or whether it is justified paying us to deal with things.
In some cases we can persuade a court to draw adverse inferences against your ex partner if they are being financially irresponsible, or difficult to deal with. We will make sure that you use the divorce process and procedure appropriately and to your advantage. We can manage the process to make sure it runs efficiently and everyone complies with the rules. The courts are blocked up with cases where people represent themselves and this often creates even more work to unravel any mistakes that are made. The law applies equally to everyone regardless of whether you have a lawyer or not and misunderstanding or ignorance of the law or procedure is no defence. We can protect against weak or unfair or nuisance financial claims.
We are experts at analysing your financial positions and spotting these issues such as missing or hidden funds. We will also make sure the agreement you reach is legally watertight to protect you in the future.
We are always happy to talk this through so please feel free ring 679050 to talk to one of our solicitors on a no obligation basis – we understand this can be a daunting step and you might not want to commit to anything yet but we are always happy to discuss things by phone to point you in the right direction.
