Lorraine Harvey
Partner, Family Law
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Family Law Solicitors
For initial legal advice call our Family Law Solicitors and we will help you.
We're rated‘Excellent’
Our Family Law Solicitors and Divorce Solicitors are here to offer you practical legal advice and support.
We know family law issues are extremely sensitive - whether you’re facing a divorce, a dispute about your child or needing to arrange a surrogacy. We aim to minimise animosity in every case, we’ll help you to be clear about where you stand legally, and we’ll take firm legal action when it’s needed.
Our goal is to get the best possible outcome for you and your children. We can tailor our service to your unique situation, and our Family Solicitors will always communicate with you in plain English. No legal jargon.
We have an excellent national reputation in Family Law. We are Law Society Accredited, and all of our team are members of Resolution, a national organisation of Family Law Lawyers committed to non-confrontational divorce, separation and other family law problems.
Our legal experts work on fixed fees or hourly rates and will explain your costs and payment options upfront, so you’ll know exactly where you stand.
For initial legal advice, get in touch with our Family Law Solicitors.
Call our team today0808 239 3465
We're rated‘Excellent’What is Family Law?
In legal terms, family law is the collection of legislation relating to family relationships. This includes divorce, finances, injunctions and child-related issues, with each area setting out the rights and responsibilities of family members.
Our Family Solicitors provide expertise and support across all areas of family law, including the growing area of Fertility law and building families. Our experienced team can navigate personal family law issues with the sensitivity they need.
We understand that there is no such thing as a traditional or average family. Each solution must be tailored to the individuals involved and not just stereotypes. We have a proud history of helping to protect and champion the rights of those within and outside a traditional family unit.
What Can Our Family Law Solicitors Help With?
Cohabitation Agreements
‘Cohabitation’ means that you live together as a couple, but you’re not married. In England and Wales, cohabitees don’t have the same legal rights as married couples. A Cohabitation Agreement sets out what should happen if your relationship comes to an end.
A Family Solicitor can draw up the agreement and give you legal advice on what it should include. Everyone’s circumstances are different, so your Cohabitation Agreement must be tailored to you and your partner.
Cohabitation Agreements are particularly useful if you’re not married but have children together. The agreement can make sure your children are provided for if your relationship breaks down. It could mean you avoid going to Court.
Legal Services for Same Sex Couples
Whilst there are some similarities in the law around the breakdown of a relationship for same sex couples, there are places where the law can be different, and you should get advice tailored to your specific situation. You may need specialist legal advice if you’re looking to build your family together, with advice on legal parenthood, surrogacy, adoption and donor conception.
Our Family Law Solicitors also offer specialist legal advice on civil partnership dissolution, divorce and children law issues
Prenup and Post Nuptial Agreements
If you’re getting married shortly or you have just got married, you can protect the assets you bring to the marriage with a Prenup or Postnuptial agreement. These agreements mean that if your relationship ever breaks down, your assets and inheritance will be better protected. Prenups are for those who are getting married, and Postnups are for those who are already married. The same idea applies for civil partnerships.
One of our Family Law Solicitors can explain how a Prenup or Postnup could work for you both and we can draft the agreement for you.
Divorce
The breakdown of a relationship can be stressful. Deciding what will happen with your money, assets and, of course, your children can cause more strain and conflict. It’s always better if you can reach an agreement together – we can help you do that. Even if the process is more hostile, our legal experts are here to help you.
Our Family Lawyers can support you in all legal aspects of divorce, including dividing assets, financial agreements and Child Arrangement Orders. We’ll work to reduce conflict where possible and secure fair, positive outcomes.
Members of our team are ranked as leaders in the field of family law in prestigious legal directories. They have won awards for their achievements for their clients and are accredited specialists.
Between them, they regularly act in cases at the cutting edge of issues in Family Law.
We can work with you to reach an agreement without the expense and stress of going to Court where appropriate, or help you navigate the Court system with confidence.
Children Law
Legal matters relating to children can be difficult, but it’s important to always put your child’s best interests at the centre of the process. We work to resolve child issues in the most non-confrontational way possible. But, if an agreed approach isn’t appropriate or is unsuccessful, our Family Lawyers can act robustly on your behalf.
Our specialists can help you with a range of children law matters. These include:
- Child arrangement orders
- Child disputes regarding who the child will live with and spend time with
- Schooling
- Medical treatment
- A change of name
- Consent for holidays or permanent relocation
- Parental Responsibility applications and issues
- Child abduction
Our children law specialists are recognised as leading experts in their field. We’ll help you to get the best outcome for your children.
Why Choose Simpson Millar?
Family Law Experts
From divorce to finances, child arrangements to fertility law, our legal experts have decades of experience across a broad range of family law issues. Meet our Family Law Solicitors.
Open communication
We’re known as the “open lawyers” because we give clear, straightforward advice in plain, easy to understand language.
Transparent pricing
We’re clear on our pricing. Our Solicitors work on either fixed fees or hourly rates. We’ll explain your legal costs and payment options from the outset.
Industry accredited
We’re accredited by the Law Society for Children Law, Family Law and Family Law Advanced, so you can have full confidence in the quality of our professional services.
Some of our Family Law Solicitors are members of Resolution, a national organisation of professionals who are committed to resolving family law issues constructively. We have accredited specialists and many of our team are recognised in legal directories for their expertise and experience.
Live with and Spend Time with Your Child
Even though child custody is a term that is no longer used in English and Welsh law, once you split from your partner it’s important to know:
- Where your child will live
- How much time will your child spend with their other parent
- How decisions about your child’s future upbringing will be made
There are so many details to work out, it can sometimes seem difficult to agree.
Our Family Law Solicitors can help you find a solution that works for you both and your children. If mediation doesn’t help you to agree, or isn’t suitable in your case, we can apply for a Child Arrangement Order.
If you already have a Child Arrangement Order in place but you want to change it, or the other parent is not sticking to the terms, a Family Law Solicitor can apply to vary or enforce the Court Order. For more details see Child Arrangement Order Disputes.
For initial legal advice contact our Family Law Solicitors.
Other Child Law Matters
We can also help with other child-related issues, such as:
Call our team today0808 239 3465
Parental Responsibility and Legal Parenthood
Parental Responsibility is a decision-making power. It gives you a greater say over your child’s upbringing. If you don’t automatically have Parental Responsibility, you can get it with a Parental Responsibility Agreement as long as anyone else who holds Parental Responsibility agrees. This will need to be formally witnessed and lodged with the Court but does not require formal Court proceedings.
If the mother or anyone with Parental Responsibility does not agree that you should have it, you’ll need to apply to the Court for a Parental Responsibility Order instead.
Our Family Law Solicitors can advise you on Parental Responsibility, whether you can get it and if so, help you achieve parental responsibility.
Legal parenthood can only be transferred because of a surrogacy or adoption, and it can often be complicated and not follow what you may think is logical. If you need help and advice on Legal Parenthood, speak to one of our specialist Solicitors.
Fertility Law and Building Families
People are now choosing to build families differently now, for many different reasons, with egg and sperm donors, surrogacy, and co-parenting (platonic parenting) alongside more traditional options such as adoption. However, you’re choosing to grow your family, our specialist Fertility Law Solicitors can help you to be informed and clear about where you stand legally.
Support from a Fertility Lawyer can help you try to avoid any issues later down the line by being clear about the law here in England and Wales, and to highlight any challenges you might face if you’re looking to go abroad for surrogacy or adoption.
Our team are some of the most experienced in the country and have been involved in a number of important Court decisions that have helped to recognise the importance of family units and legal ties, however they are formed.
If you’re considering using donor eggs or sperm or platonic parenting, we can help you get agreements in place to make the process as straightforward as possible for everyone involved.
Call our team today0808 239 3465
FAQs about Family Law Claims
Family Solicitor fees can vary based on a few factors including:
- The Lawyer’s level of experience
- The complexity of the case
- How much work is involved
- Whether the Lawyer charges an hourly rate or a fixed fee
Our Family Lawyers charge either a fixed fee or an hourly rate and hourly rates are based on their level of expertise and experience. We’ll speak to you clearly and honestly about all the legal costs involved, so you won’t face any nasty surprises. There may be extra costs, called disbursements, such as Court fees to factor in too, depending on your case.
We can give you an accurate estimate of the legal fees and extra costs involved with your case after learning more about your situation in detail.
Our Family Solicitors always work towards non-confrontational outcomes where possible, which means finding an agreement to suit everyone involved. Taking a constructive approach towards family law issues often helps our clients avoid Court and the stress and costs that can come with it.
If an amicable agreement can’t be reached or if this approach isn’t appropriate, your case could go to the Family Courts. The likelihood of it doing so depends on the details of your case. Family Courts handle cases such as:
- Parental disputes or disputes with grandparents and other wider family members
- Contested Divorces
- Financial support for children after divorce or relationship breakdown
- Financial support for husbands or wives after divorce or separation
- Adoption and Parental Orders
- Injunctions
If your case does go to Court, our Family Court Lawyers will guide and support you every step of the way.
Our Family Law Lawyers have decades of experience and a broad range of expertise, shown by our multiple Law Society Accreditations. Examples of recent cases we’ve handled include:
- A high net worth divorce case, in which our Family Solicitors helped secure an agreement over the division of rental properties and a family home while avoiding Court
- A child law appeal case, in which we helped a mother prove her child had habitual residence outside of the UK in response to a Child Arrangement Order
- A Prenup agreement case, where we helped a client protect her family business while ensuring her partner still felt financially secure
Legal Aid has been stripped back in recent years, but there are still several areas of family law in which the scheme can provide you with financial support. Your case for funding will usually be assessed on:
- Whether the matter is covered by the scope of Legal Aid
- Whether you can afford your own legal costs
- Whether your case has a strong chance of being successful
Your Family Law Solicitor will talk through all your options and tell you whether you can apply for Legal Aid. We can also apply on your behalf.
Get in touch, today!
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0808 239 3465