March 30, 2018 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
One size does not fit all when it comes to working with a family lawyer. Whether you’re writing a will, need help with property and conveyancing, or are heading into a divorce, finding the right solicitor is vital to ensure you feel secure in your decisions and get the outcome you’re after. If you’re embarking on a potentially lengthy process, such as separation, you need to know that you’re working with someone whose advice you can trust, and who will help to take the weight off your shoulders.
When looking for legal help, here are a few tips to finding the right solicitor for the job:
Meet face to face: Most lawyers will ...
March 16, 2018 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
When you decide to separate, choosing the right process for you and your family is the most important first step. Each situation will be different, and there are a number of different options to suit varying circumstances.
But before you seek help from a solicitor, ask yourself a few fundamental questions about what you need and what kind of outcome you’re looking for:
What are the most important issues you need to discuss?
What are your priorities? Dividing up assets or sorting out living arrangements or dealing with children’s issues? Are there any provisional agreements you can make before you seek legal help to streamline the process? Which issues are non-negotiable and ...
December 28, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
The holidays can be a difficult time if you’re going through relationship struggles. January often heralds a spike in divorce enquiries as tensions rise over the Christmas period and the new year provokes an urge for change.
Whatever your situation, if you’re moving towards the idea of separation and eager for a new start in 2018 then it’s time to speak to a solicitor about your options.
Before you make any serious decisions, it’s important to look at your situation and, if possible, have a frank discussion with your partner about the best way to move forward. Separation needn’t be fraught with animosity or overly complicated if you’re able ...
December 12, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
A recent report on women and retirement from Scottish Widows reveals that over two thirds of divorcing couples fail to discuss pensions during settlements and, as a result, women are often left worse off when it comes to finances post-separation.
The study suggests that women are less likely to prepare adequately for retirement, with 52% of women surveyed having plans in place compared to 59% of men. Additionally, one out of four women have a smaller pension pot than their husband.
When it comes to divorce and separation, 48% of women reported that they did not know how pensions might be divided or distributed when a couple split, and ...
October 21, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Even the most amicable separation between parents cannot help but affect your children - it can be a difficult process for you all - but a little understanding, plenty of patience, and clear communication are the keys to getting through the tough times.
Our family lawyers have years of experience working with separating parents and resolving children's issues, whether it's via mediation, court divorce, or collaborative family law. Read on for their most valuable advice for helping children to come to terms with parental divorce:
Contact your solicitor as early as possible to discuss the best option for your circumstances. Cooperative approaches like mediation or collaborative family law can be tailored around children to keep ...
October 07, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Divorce solicitors report growing numbers of clients requesting 'post-nuptial agreements' within the past three years. Just like you might update your will, a 'post-nup' is a chance to amend an existing pre-nup or create an official agreement if you didn't make one before you got married. And while a pre- or post-nup is not currently legally binding, the UK family courts do take these agreements into account during separation proceedings, so long as they are reasonable in nature, signed by both parties, and have been drawn up by a licensed legal practitioner.
But why would a couple decide to create a 'post-nup' in the first place?
Anecdotal research by divorce solicitors suggest that ...
July 11, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
According to a recent study, 3 in 10 adults who have joint finances claim to hide assets from their partner, such as private bank accounts, investments, and other expenses. During divorce, financial issues are often a common point of contention, and you may be surprised to find a few skeletons in your ex’s cupboard. In some cases, separating couples fail to disclose certain assets in an attempt to avoid having them involved in financial settlements. However, non-disclosure can result in fines and penalties and lead to a protracted and expensive court process – some methods even classify as fraud.
No matter how well you think you know your ...
May 23, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog Experts from a number of institutions are collaborating to research the UK divorce process in the first major study for 30 years. Researchers from the University of Exeter Law School, Bryson Purdon Social Research, One Plus One, Resolution and Wikivorce are working together to look at the current family law system by examining hundreds of divorce cases, conducting nationwide surveys and focus groups, and interviewing divorces and family lawyers.
Initial findings suggest that ‘behaviour’ is an inadequate option for choosing grounds for divorce for many couples, unnecessarily assigning blame to one or both parties and causing greater conflict throughout the separation process and beyond. In 2014 there were approximately 110,000 divorces, 48% of which cited ‘behaviour’ as the reason for ...
April 10, 2017 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog We tuned into an interesting discussion on BBC Radio Four’s Women’s Hour recently, which discussed how an increasing number of divorce applications are citing women’s drinking as the cause of ‘unreasonable behaviour’. One law firm claimed that a third of their cases involving unreasonable behaviour referenced alcohol – a number that has doubled in frequency in the last three years – and while alcoholism is statistically a greater problem for men, there has been a significant rise in mentions of women’s drinking habits in divorce.
GP Dr Sarah Jarvis commented that when it comes to alcohol problems, women are more likely to stick by a partner whose drinking has become an issue, while men are more likely to seek ...
February 12, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Families going through separation require professional support before, during and after the process to ensure they make the right decisions for their situation. Unfortunately, many couples find they do not have access to the information they need, or are unaware that alternatives to the often expensive and protracted method of court divorce exist.
Relate recently released a report entitled Breaking is hard to do which seeks to address these issues, putting forward 13 recommendations for policy makers to improve the divorce process in order to ‘assist families to navigate family relationship support before, during and after separation’.
The aims of these recommendations include:
Placing families in need of information ...
