If you do decide to issue divorce or dissolution proceedings, we will explain the process thoroughly to you and support you throughout the proceedings. We will deal with your divorce expeditiously advising and discussing relevant timescales with you. 

Divorce or dissolution proceedings usually lead to financial and children issues which we will also advise you on.  If for cultural or religious reasons divorce proceedings are not appropriate for you we can advise you on Judicial Separation proceedings.

Separation Issues
Sometimes parties to a marriage decide to go their separate ways but for some reason do not wish to divorce immediately or often not at all. In these circumstances there will usually be financial assets to the marriage such as a property which will need to be dealt with, or arrangements regarding children.

Our partners are able to advise you on the drafting of a separation agreement to formalise the arrangements you have agreed on separation, and to offer you protection for the future.

Financial Issues
Whether you are divorcing or separating, the breakdown of your relationship will undoubtedly lead to financial issues between you and your partner. At LGFL we have experience in dealing with financial cases from simple to complex high net worth matters. We understand the significance of obtaining you the best possible settlement yet at the same time we will always give you simple, straightforward and realistic advice on the matter.

Financial assets that may form part of any settlement include the family home and any properties held, savings and investments and pension.

Furthermore the issue of maintenance for a spouse or any children of the family may become relevant.  We will discuss your options with you and always attempt to negotiate effectively on your behalf.  If issuing proceedings becomes necessary, we will support you through the process clearly explaining the cost and other risks involved in such a process.

Cohabitation Disputes
The law unfortunately does not yet afford cohabiting parties the same degree of protection that it offers married couples. Often cohabiting couples will own property and other assets together.

If your relationship breaks down we will advise you thoroughly as to the options available to you including issuing civil proceedings to determine any dispute.

Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence can take place in many forms, and abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional or financial. In such circumstances we have the expertise to deal with your matter in an emergency.

We can advise you on obtaining a Non-molestation order to protect you from an abuser using or threatening to use violence against you, or from intimidating, harassing or pestering you. Power of arrests can now not be attached to Non-molestation orders and any breaches are dealt with as criminal offences and are dealt with by the criminal courts.

We can also advise you on obtaining an occupation order which can lead to a perpetrator being required to leave the family home, can regulate occupation within the home and lead to the payment of outgoings to a property. A power of arrest can be attached to an Occupation order, which means that any breach of an order can lead to a person being arrested and being brought before the County Court to deal with the breach.

Children
At LGFL we appreciate that when a relationship breaks down both parties primary concern will be the children. With our expertise and knowledge we will always adopt a child centred approach to any dispute which involves children or obtaining financial support for them.

We will always endeavour to try and resolve any dispute in the first instance through negotiation and agreement. However, if it is necessary to issue proceedings we will advise you fully of the range of orders available to you. Most commonly these will include:

• Residence Order - An order which determines where a child’s living arrangements.
• Contact Order - An order which specifies when an absent parent sees a child
• Parental Responsibility Order - An order for unmarried parents granting them involvement in the major decisions in a child’s life.
• Specific Issue Order - An order determining a specific issue in dispute relating to a child such as education
• Prohibited Steps Order - An order preventing a party from taking a certain action relating to a child, such as removal from the jurisdiction.

We can also advise you on Adoption proceedings, obtaining Special Guardianship and Step-parent Parental Responsibility or child abduction.