The majority of family lawyers can safely say that they entered the profession in order to help unhappy people out of unhealthy situations. Family Law involves assisting people when they feel at their most vulnerable. When you feel stressed, upset and aggrieved, sensible decision making may not be at the forefront of your mind and this is why it is really important that you are properly supported from the outset.

With a change in the modern day family dynamic, devoted step-parents are recognised as an integral part of a child's life, providing love, support, and care every step of the way. Introducing: step-parent adoption. Step-parent adoption offers the opportunity for this nurturing relationship to be legally recognised, granting you the legal status of parent.

It is not unusual for clients to tell us that, since separating from their spouse, they have met someone else and have started a new relationship. Parties cannot put their life on hold while the divorce process is underway, but it is important that the implications of being in a new relationship are understood.

Any Britney fan and especially one who is a family lawyer, will have seen the news of her marriage breakdown and hoped that she had a Pre-Nuptial Agreement.

The law relating to Nuptial Agreements in America is different from that in England & Wales but the popularity of Nuptial Agreements in this jurisdiction continues to rise.

Communicating with your ex-partner is never something that is easy after you have separated. Conversations can sometimes be tense, emotional and draining. Most people’s instinct is to cut all ties but this is often not possible if you share children with your ex. This makes communication essential but nonetheless daunting for many.

If you or your spouse own a business whether in a sole name or in joint names, it is likely to form a key part of financial proceedings should the two of you separate.

For the first time ever, journalists will now be allowed to attend and report on cases in the Family Courts in a new pilot scheme covering specific cases in Leeds, Carlisle and Cardiff. The pilot scheme started on 30 January 2023 and only accredited journalists and legal bloggers will be allowed to attend and report on family cases.

On 6th April 2022, the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 came into effect. This is more commonly known as no fault divorce.

A common question I am asked is whether a parent has Parental Responsibility for their child and what this means for them as a parent. If they don’t have it, they want to know how they can get it.

Parental alienation is a term that would cause many separated parents to raise an eyebrow in confusion. Its name is not part of everyday understanding of family law; people don't know what it is. In my experience, parental alienation's best described as a feeling. And it’s a feeling many parents will have experienced without knowing its name.

Whilst it may not be possible to have a ‘good’ divorce, it is certainly possible to have a bad one. Fortunately, there are steps that both parties can take to make the divorce and separation process as painless and as amicable as possible.

We understand the Divorce process can be confusing. From a lawyer’s perspective, the process is very procedural and can be navigated easily. However, it is not always the same for those going through a divorce. We have produced a flowchart that guides you through the steps.

Whilst it may not be possible to have a ‘good’ divorce, it is certainly possible to have a bad one. Fortunately, there are things that both parties can do to make the process as painless and amicable as possible. One of these is known as Collaborative Law.

We were delighted that Jennifer Thorne has agreed to write an article for us. For many people, getting life back on track following a divorce can be a difficult process to follow.

Parental alienation is, for want of a better word, terrifying. It is something we sincerely hope you never have to experience. The long-term effects on the children and the alienated parent can be really damaging. In short, parental alienation is where a child – either intentionally or unintentionally – becomes distanced from one parent without a good reason. This can be because they’re coached to dislike the other parent. It can also happen because they have repeatedly overheard negative conversations about that parent.

Where parents share parental responsibility for a child, and there is no order in place stating where the child lives and what time the child spends with the non-resident parent, it can sometimes occur that the ‘non-resident parent’ takes steps to keep the child in their care, against the wishes of the resident parent. This can be a very upsetting and anxious time.

Clients will often ask me about the ‘rights’ of fathers and mothers. The question of grandparents’ rights comes up often as well. However, the correct legal answer is that no such ‘rights’ actually exist. The law that governs children’s relationships with the significant adults in their life is found in the Children Act 1989. This legislation took a very deliberate step away from considering any ‘rights’ of adults involved. Instead, it focused on the responsibilities of adults and the rights, and more specifically the welfare, of children.