The Family Law Advice we Provide

Here at Higgins miller we dispense family law advice on a wide range of topics. The fact that we specialise in family law advice means that we understand the need to treat clients with sympathy and sensitivity at the same time as guiding them through various legal processes with clarity and certainty.

We always go out of our way to ensure that the family law advice we dispense is explained in a manner which is clear and easily understood. We understand that many people find dealing with legal issues extremely daunting. For a lot of our clients, the fact that they have to deal with a divorce, adoption or arranging probate on a will might be the first time they’ve ever come into contact with a law firm, had a meeting with a solicitor or faced the prospect of appearing in court.

Bearing that in mind, we always try to ensure that our family law advice minimises the stress our client is facing or will have to face in the future. In many cases this is difficult, as the kind of cases which family law advice concerns often involve a high degree of emotion. Whilst understanding this we try to work towards solutions which are based on mediation and agreement, whilst still seeking the best possible solution for our client. Not only does this reduce the stress involved, but it’s also likely to keep costs down.

Amongst the family law topics which we have a great deal of experience in dealing with are the following:

Adoption

We’ll explain who can apply for adoption, how the process works and what criteria need to be met in order for an application to be successful. We understand the differences between foster care adoption, stepparent adoption and adoption after care proceedings, and we’ll help to make sure the process runs as smoothly as possible, with the welfare of the child at its’ centre.

Lawyer Supported Mediation

When a couple splits it can often lead to arguments over matters such as shared finances and child care. The emotions involved in any relationship breakdown can lead to these arguments becoming bitter, prolonged and costly. Lawyer supported mediation is a system designed to stop this happening, by working with a fully trained family mediator to reach a shared agreement. As your solicitor, we’ll offer fixed fee advice throughout the process, thereby ensuring that any agreement reached is fair and matches your legal entitlement.

Divorce and Civil Partnership

The end of any relationship is bound to be painful and difficult. We work with our clients to ensure that they make the right choices for their long term future at a time when they may be finding it difficult to think clearly. This will begin with advising whether they should opt for a separation deed, judicial separation, divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership. For a fixed fee of just £50 (Plus VAT) we meet with clients, discuss their separation, explain what their rights and responsibilities are in terms of finances and children and answer any questions they have about the practical steps they need to take. After an hour long meeting we’ll prepare a written summary of everything discussed. Although this service is particularly useful for anyone feeling that their relationship may be coming to an end, we offer it to clients dealing with any and all situations.

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial agreements represent an area of the law which is changing at a rapid pace. As such, it is strongly advised that people seek family law advice before signing up to an agreement. In simple terms, a prenuptial agreement is an agreement signed before a marriage in order to set out how the assets of the relationship will be divided in the event of a divorce. Prenuptial agreements will be upheld by courts unless their terms or circumstances are unfair. For this reason, anyone signing such an agreement should seek family law advice in order to make sure they don’t sign away anything they will later regret losing.

Wills and Probate

When a person dies, the emotional impact can make dealing with financial and practical matters seem superfluous. There are, however, many issues which need to be dealt with in order to ensure that the wishes of the deceased are respected, and that their loved ones receive all of the assets they were intended to end up with. That’s why it’s so important to write a will in the first place, and to seek family law advice when doing so in order to deal efficiently with aspects such as inheritance tax.

If you’re dealing with the impact of a loved one dying, on the other hand, then the type and amount of family law advice you require will depend upon the manner in which their affairs were arranged. If there was no will written, then the situation can quickly become extremely complex. Even if a will is present then the process of probate still has to be worked through in the right manner, and our solicitors will work in a sympathetic manner to make sure this happens.

If you have any questions about family law advice, including issues such as children disputes and social services involvement, please get in touch with us. Call on 0161 429 7251 or email at [email protected] and we’ll provide a free 20 minute appraisal. If further funding is needed, please take a look at the options here.family law advice

MarkH

August 22, 2017

General

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