Seeking legal intervention for family matters is not always easy, particularly where these matters involve conflict. Our expert family law solicitors fully appreciate this, which is why we take a compassionate and sensitive approach. Our team always do their best to ensure that you feel well-informed and at ease throughout the necessary processes. We ensure that the approach taken is tailored to suite the individual’s needs.

​

At Benson Legal Service Solicitors, we favour a non-confrontational and compassionate approach to family law, several members of our team are well trained lawyers, and others are members of the family panel. When you work with us, you can feel confident that you will receive expert advice that’s tailored to your unique case.

We also have award winning and nationally recognised and accredited solicitors. This includes solicitors who hold the Law Society’s Family Law and Lexcel Accreditations. These accreditations are a recognition of the high level of expertise and knowledge in family law that we offer.

​

Our specialist team can provide family legal advice and support across a wide range of areas, these include:

• Divorce

• Separation

• Civil partnership dissolution

• Cohabitation agreements

• Financial settlements

• Child residence and contact

• Domestic abuse

• Family mediation

Our family lawyers’ expertise

 

Divorce

If you would like to legally end your marriage, our specialist divorce solicitors can offer assistance throughout each stage of the divorce process, including:

​

• Completing a divorce application, as an individual, or a joint application with your divorcing spouse

• Assistance to apply for a Conditional Order (on approval of your divorce application and after a 20-week wait period)

• Working with a solicitor to reach a financial settlement with your divorcing spouse

• Making arrangements with your ex wife/husband about child arrangements  and contact matters if applicable

• Applying for a Final Order to legally end your marriage (after receiving your Conditional Order and an additional waiting period of 6 weeks)

 

Separation

In instances where couples wish to separate without officially ending their marriage, our solicitors can offer support to obtain a legal separation. Our family lawyers can help couples to draft a separation agreement detailing how matters will be dealt with, for example, how assets will be divided, if spousal support will be paid and where the children will live.

​

At Benson Legal Service Ltd, we have supported couples in a wide variety of circumstances with legal separations.

 

Civil partnership dissolution

Where a couple has been in a civil partnership for at least one year and they wish to end their partnership, they have the right to apply for a civil partnership dissolution.

​

In England and Wales, those in a civil partnership can make an application on a ‘no-fault’ basis, essentially following the same procedure as divorcing couples. If you would like to dissolve your partnership, the application process is best completed with the support of an expert lawyer.

​

Our family law solicitors can assist here, as well as support involved parties to make arrangements for their finances and for any children.

 

Cohabitation agreements

When couples live together, especially for longer periods of time, it is common  for their finances to become linked. It is important to be aware that unmarried couples do not have the same legal rights as married people. This absence of rights can often cause financial or children related disputes when unmarried couples separate.

​

In such instances couples may consider a cohabitation agreement which is a legal document that can help unmarried couples to protect their legal rights when living together and avoid disputes later on. These documents are used to agree on arrangements for children, property and finances, while a couple is cohabiting. The agreement should determine what happens to their affairs if they decide to split up, pass away or become seriously ill. This can include how the equity and contents of the family home should be held.

​

At Benson Legal Service Ltd , we can assist you in creating a cohabitation agreement tailored to your needs and ensure that the document is legally binding.

​

Financial settlements

When going through a divorce, it is necessary to separate your ex-spouse’s finances from your own. You will need to reach a financial settlement, which is a type of agreement that sets out how your finances will be split between you when you get divorced. Such settlements deal with property, debts, savings and other assets.

​

Our expert divorce solicitors at Benson Legal Services Ltd can support the majority of divorcing couples to reach a voluntary financial settlement with no need to go to Court. If the circumstances call for Court proceedings, our team can assist here also, including around completing a Form E for financial disclosure.

​

When assisting with financial settlements, our family lawyers can help couples to obtain an order for spousal or child maintenance or a clean break order. It is advisable to get a clean break which ends the financial connection between the spouses and prevents them from raising any financial claims against one another in the future.

​

Child residence and contact

When divorcing or separating couples have children, it is often necessary to determine child residence and child contact matters.

​

In considering where a child will live after a divorce, it may be necessary to apply for a Child Arrangements Order (live with / contact). Such orders are used to determine where children will live, how much contact they will have with each of their parents and what types of contact will take place (for instance, visits or phone calls).

​

Our Family law experts can help couples to apply for Child Arrangements Orders, as well as offer support with other matters related to children law, such as:

​

• Prohibited Steps Orders

• Specific Issue Orders

• Grandparents’ rights

• Parental Orders

• Parental Responsibility Orders

• Child adoption law

 

Domestic abuse

In recent times, domestic abuse in relationships has become rampant, an experience that can be traumatic for both the victim and any children involved. It is important to remain physically and mentally safe, and remove oneself from the situation. Legal intervention is often necessary.

​

Our team can offer legal support in many ways, for example, where clients need to obtain  Domestic Violence Injunctions, including a Non-Molestation Order or Occupation Order. If necessary, we can also support clients in obtaining Emergency and without notice Injunctions.

​

Victims of domestic abuse may find it difficult to seek help. Our family solicitors are highly experienced and approach each case with both practicality and compassion.

​

To arrange an initial consultation, you can contact our office using the links above or fill in our quick enquiry form and we will get back to you soon.

 

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Top of Form

We are here to help, just fill out the form below with your enquiry and we’ll get