What Do Family Solicitors Do?

What Do Family Solicitors Do?

Family law is a very broad area of law in itself, but it can also touch on a multitude of other legal disciplines making it a fascinating area of law to study and work in. However, navigating it as a client can feel overwhelming and confusing at the best of times.

In the broadest of terms family solicitors deal with the legal issues connected with the breakdown of relationships but also the legal issues connected with the formation of relationships, such as marriage or cohabitation. What does that mean on a practical level?

In respect of relationship breakdown this might mean;

  • Representing and/or advising in relation to a divorce;
  • Advising and assisting in relation to the division of your assets on divorce or dissolution of your civil partnership. This can mean helping you to negotiate a financial settlement, representing you in court or advising in or alongside the mediation process or other non-court dispute resolution methods;
  • Advising and assisting in the negotiation of arrangements for children following their parents’ separation;
  • Advising on the property and financial rights and claims of couples who have separated but are not married. This might include negotiating a settlement and recording this in a Separation Agreement or representing you in an application to the Court to enforce your property rights;
  • Advising and representing parents who need to make financial claims on behalf of their children, referred to as Schedule 1 claims;
  • Advising, assisting and representing people who have experienced domestic abuse and require protection through injunctions. This would include applying for a Non-Molestation Order or an Occupation Order.

In respect of the formation of relationships this might mean;

  • Preparing pre-nuptial agreements to protect the assets and wealth acquired by one person before the marriage;
  • Advising on the meaning, effect and implications of a pre-nuptial agreement that you have been asked to sign;
  • Advising on the preparation of post-nuptial agreements for married couples who would like to agree and record how they will divide their assets in the event of any future divorce;
  • Drawing up cohabitation agreements for people who plan to purchase a property together, or who already live together or to protect the property interests of one party who owns property in their own name but would like their partner to move in with them.

What do family lawyers not do?

Whilst the following services feel as though they would fit in the family law category we don’t do any of the following;

  • Preparation of Wills and Trusts
  • Preparation of Powers of Attorney
  • The buying and selling of property
  • Dealing with the administration of someone’s estate on death
  • Disputes regarding Wills and inheritances

If you need any help with a family law issue or even help to understand whether it is a family law issue at all please do contact us on 01823 259449 or use our contact form and one of our team would be happy to help.