Divorce Solicitors in London

Under the no-fault divorce rules introduced in April 2022, it is no longer possible to contest a divorce in England and Wales. The only limited exception is a dispute over which country’s courts have jurisdiction. If one party applies for a divorce, the other cannot prevent it from proceeding.

There is no automatic rule. The outcome depends on the needs of any children, the financial resources of each party and the overall division of assets. Options include selling the property and dividing the proceeds, one party buying out the other, or a Mesher Order deferring the sale until a later date, such as when the youngest child reaches adulthood.

Pension assets are included in a financial settlement and can be divided through a Pension Sharing Order, which transfers a proportion of one spouse’s pension to the other. Pension offsetting is another option, where one party accepts a larger share of other assets in exchange for the other retaining their full pension. Expert advice is essential, particularly where international or defined benefit schemes are involved.

In addition, the timing of when you change might be crucial. If there are hearings coming up you may want to ensure you have changed teams so that the strategy going into that hearing is correct and you have confidence moving forward that nothing has been missed. Even if it is a week before the next hearing, if the new lawyer has the time and wherewithal to read in on your case, they will make it happen. On the other hand, it might be more appropriate for you to stay with your existing legal team until that hearing has taken place.

A Consent Order is a legally binding court document that records the financial settlement agreed between divorcing parties. Without one, either party can potentially make a financial claim against the other in future, even years after the divorce is finalised. We strongly advise all clients to obtain a Consent Order before or at the point of the Final Order being granted.

Your new solicitors will then tell the other side and the court that they are acting for you. It will then be a question of your new solicitors reading into your case and getting to grips with all the detail. The time this will take will depend on how long your case has been going on and how complex the disclosure might be together with what other work your new solicitors have. Your new solicitors should be able to give you a clear indication on this. If they cannot, they are probably not going to be an improvement.

If you want to find out how long it might take for us to take on your case, get in touch today.

A divorce legally ends the marriage. A legal separation (or judicial separation) does not end the marriage but allows the parties to live apart and resolve financial and children matters through the court. Some couples choose separation for religious or financial reasons, or because they have not yet been married for a year. You can only apply for a divorce after being married for at least one year.

The divorce application itself is processed by the court, but you do not need to attend a hearing for a straightforward divorce. Court hearings become necessary only if financial or children matters cannot be agreed between the parties. The majority of our clients resolve all matters through negotiation or mediation without attending a final hearing.

If you think any of the above issues are relevant to your case, have lost confidence in your existing solicitor or just want a second opinion, please get in touch with us today for a confidential, no obligation consultation. 

Look for a solicitor with specific experience in family law and, where relevant, the type of case you have, whether that involves high-value assets, international elements or complex children matters. Accreditations such as Resolution membership indicate a commitment to non-adversarial practice. Personal recommendations and online reviews are also a useful guide. We offer a free initial consultation so you can discuss your situation before committing.