Family solicitors in England & Wales

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Plain-language guide

What a family solicitor does.

A family solicitor deals with the legal consequences of relationships ending and of raising children apart: divorce and civil partnership dissolution, financial remedy orders, child arrangements under the Children Act 1989, cohabitation disputes over property, and protection from domestic abuse under the Family Law Act 1996. Most family work is now expected to start with mediation or another form of non-court dispute resolution, and a good family solicitor will say when court is the wrong first step.

When you need one

Your marriage or civil partnership has ended and money, property or pensions need to be divided.
You cannot agree where the children will live or how much time they spend with each parent.
You lived with a partner without marrying and there is a dispute about the home.
You are being abused or harassed by a partner or former partner and need protection quickly.

How fees usually work

Family solicitors usually charge by the hour, with fixed fees common for an uncontested divorce application or a consent order. Legal aid remains available for domestic abuse cases and some children cases where you qualify. Ask for a written estimate for each stage and whether a mediation information and assessment meeting is needed before any court application.

Questions to ask before you instruct

Do you belong to Resolution and follow its code of a constructive, non-confrontational approach?
Is mediation, arbitration or a private FDR realistic in my case, and what would it save?
What is your estimate to a consent order, and what would contested proceedings add?
Who in your team will handle my case day to day, and at what hourly rate?

See the listed practitioners

General information about England & Wales law and practice, not advice on your matter. The practitioners listed on this page give that advice.

Family solicitor questions

How long does a divorce take?

Since April 2022 divorce is no-fault: one or both spouses state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. There is a minimum of twenty weeks from the application to the conditional order and a further six weeks to the final order, so about six to seven months in practice. Financial arrangements are dealt with separately and usually take longer.

Do I need to go to court about the children?

Not usually. The court expects parents to agree arrangements where it is safe to do so, and you will normally have to attend a mediation information and assessment meeting before applying for a child arrangements order. The court decides on the child's welfare, which is paramount, using the checklist in section 1 of the Children Act 1989.

Can I get an order to keep my ex-partner away?

Yes. A non-molestation order under the Family Law Act 1996 prohibits harassment and threats, and an occupation order can regulate who lives in the home. Both can be made urgently without notice where the risk justifies it, and breaching a non-molestation order is a criminal offence.

For the practitioners listed here

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