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One Hour Fixed Fee Family Appointments

Wednesday April 29, 2020

Family solicitor Jill Parratt explains how we can provide advice as a one-off service if that is what clients require.

Clients often ask us if we can provide them with advice without actually taking any further action on their behalf. This may be because their relationship is coming to an end and they don’t know what to expect in terms of the divorce process, or how the marital assets will be divided up, or how the arrangements in respect of their children will be agreed post separation.

 

Separating from your partner even after just a brief relationship together can be a very daunting and frightening time. It might be that you would ideally wish to have discussions with your partner yourself to see if agreement can be reached. However, you might not know what is fair in the circumstances. If you are a mum hoping to stay in a jointly owned property with your child or children then you will need specific advice that takes consideration of the finances of you both to assess whether or not this would even be possible.

 

If you are a dad and you are concerned that if you move out of your jointly owned property then the mortgage will not be paid or you will not see your children then, again, you may need specific tailored advice for your precise situation.

 

We are able to offer 1 hour fixed fee appointments so that we can guide you and advise you in respect of any concern you might have about the end of your relationship. If you are not married but own a home together then you may be concerned about how the law affects you as unmarried partners. You may not yet have even of separated from your partner but just want advice on what the likely outcome would be if you did separate.

 

In all of the above circumstances, our 1 hour fixed fee service would very likely be of great assistance to you. I will consider carefully with you all of the relevant factors that a court considers when determining how the assets of the marriage should be divided, or with which parent a child should ultimately reside. I will give you tailored advice that is specific to your own circumstances so that you are better armed for any discussions that you might then choose to go on to have with your partner. It always helps to have these discussions when you can speak from a position of understanding rather than ignorance. I can help you to assess exactly what the assets of the marriage are and I can also advise you what assets, if any, a court would be likely to ignore. Of course, there is no formula for determining how the marital assets are to be divided and the court usually reaches a decision that comes within a broad parameter of options. It is therefore important for you to know the sort of award that you might get that is at the lower end of the scale and the award that you might obtain that is at the higher end of the scale. You will then be a in a position to negotiate settlement with your partner that is hopefully somewhere in-between.

 

If you are worried about how the children are going to be divided between you then the short answer of course is that they are not. They are going to be shared between you. It is important that before you have any negotiation with your partner about the arrangements for the children that you are able to put the needs of the children first before your own needs as a parent. Certainly that is what the court will do should it become necessary to issue proceedings at court. We always hope that court proceedings are not necessary and it will help you enormously to have a 1 hour fixed fee discussion with me if you have any doubt as to how the children should share their time with each of you. Drawn out and protracted court proceedings are very rarely in the children’s best issues and, learning from an experienced professional first what the likely arrangements from the children would be can be enormously beneficial to you.

 

It may well be that, with just a little bit of advice so that you are broadly aware of what you might to expect to achieve and how to achieve it, you might avoid protracted and costly proceedings all together. If I can be of assistance in advising you in respect of any element of the breakdown of your relationship then please do not hesitate to contact me Jill Parratt on 012043 77600. I can arrange a 1 hour fixed fee appointment for you straight away at the cost of £165 plus VAT plus our identity check fee. I will advise you on any issue and provide you with follow up bespoke written advice outlining the options open to you. Call me now on 01204 377600.