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A family law team that

The breakdown of a marriage or partnership is likely to be a very upsetting time for you, but potentially more so for your children. That’s why it’s important that clarity and collaboration between you and your spouse is facilitated as far as possible when it comes to your divorce, and to your future of raising your children outside of a marriage.

Our family law team understand that there are a number of factors that come into how you feel about the arrangements you would be willing to accept when it comes to raising your children. It is our job as experienced divorce solicitors to take your requests and proposals, weigh these against your particular situation, and then negotiate an arrangement that works for everyone – most importantly, for your children.

Child disputes

Child disputes and child arrangement orders allow for you and your spouse to have a thought out, structured, and negotiated agreement on how best to bring up your children. It will provide a sense of clarity for yourselves, as well as your children, and give them a structure that they can adapt and live by, something that is vital to child development and in ensuring that their needs are met.

In any agreement involving child arrangements whether mediated out of court, which courts require that all separating couples attempt in the first instance to bring about a tailored solution that is most appropriate to your needs and particular circumstances, or settled in court, the needs and well-being of the child is paramount and provisions will be made in three areas: living arrangements, contact with each parent, and child maintenance.

As children are involved, and in many cases they are neutral in terms of the divorce, it is important to look to mediation and positive collaboration based on good faith when it comes to sorting child arrangements. You should also look to reassure your child that it’s not their fault, ensuring they feel cared for and understood, and not attack the other parent in front of them so as not to alienate them.

If you feel that it would be unsafe to leave your children with the other parent for any reason, or you fear they will relocate with your child, or prevent you from seeing your child, then you should seek court action to decide on child arrangements, including specific issue orders, where the court can rule over particular issues about a child’s upbringing that divorced parents are deadlocked on, or a prohibited steps order which will prevent a parent from undertaking particular events or travel without permission from the other side.

Our family law team in Birmingham and Nottingham understand that divorce is a confusing time for you, and therefore there is a real need to keep things clear and to keep you in control of what’s happening.

With that in mind we offer clients:

  • a free half-hour consultation either at our offices in Birmingham or Nottingham, or over the phone, to discuss any and all queries you may have before starting;
  • fixed-fee services, with clear guidance on what divorce law services you are paying for;
  • a number of guides with advice on handling divorce, including mediation, the legal process, and non-legal topics such as handling the topic around your children, and how to look ahead to the future.

Start your child dispute online

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Free family law consultation

Our child dispute services

Out of court negotiations

£600 fixed fee, inc. VAT
  • Free half-hour initial consultation at the start of your family law matter
  • Writing to your spouse, or their solicitor, to confirm your proposals for future arrangements, and seek confirmation of your spouse's proposals
  • Advising you of any issues that arise, and of any proposals you receive
  • Assistance in formulating your proposals, and negotiating with your spouse, or their solicitor, through correspondence to try and reach an agreement
  • Maximum of 3 hours' work (30 units)*
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First court appointment

£ 1,125 fixed fee, inc. VAT
  • Free half-hour initial consultation at the start of your family law matter
  • Preparing the application to start court proceedings, known as the C100
  • Preparing, filing, and servicing the court bundle
  • Going to the first court appointment with you at a local court
  • Advising you of any proposals received, helping you formulate your own proposals, and negotiating with your spouse's solicitor
  • Maximum of 6 hours' work (60 units)*
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Steps after the first court appointment

£ 1,800 fixed fee, inc. VAT
  • Free half-hour initial consultation at the start of your family law matter
  • Drafting a statement on your behalf, should the court direct this
  • Advising you of any proposals received, helping you formulate your own proposals, and negotiating with your spouse's solicitor through correspondence
  • Going to the directions or review hearing with you
  • Preparing a consent order for you, should an agreement be reached out-of-court
  • Maximum of 10 hours' work (100 units)*
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Trial or
final hearing

£3,700 inc. VAT; £4,400 - Band B
  • Free half-hour initial consultation at the start of your family law matter
  • Helping you comply with the court's directions
  • Pressing your spouse's solicitor to comply with any directions made against them
  • Commissioning reports from third parties that may be required, such as drug or DNA testing
  • Advising you of any proposals received, helping you formulate your own proposals, and negotiating with your spouse's solicitor
  • Drafting a position statement, if required
  • Commissioning a barrister for your trial, should you wish to use one upon our recommendation
  • Attending a conference and to court on the morning of your trial with you and your barrister
  • Maximum of 20 hours' work (200 units)*
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Family law matters are worked on and supervised by a qualified solicitor (LPC) with 6 years experience practising family law, having worked on over 250 family law cases in that time, including on matters of contested and complex family law disputes, such as children disputes and matrimonial finances. Work is also undertaken with the support of a legal assistant (currently undertaking LPC) with over 2 years experience.

Prices shown are for those who fall under Band A (where joint gross assets are valued at less than £450,000). Band B are for clients whose joint gross assets are valued between £450,000 and £800,000. For clients whose joint gross assets exceed this, a price will be given to you upon application.

Time spent on your matter is calculated in units. Court hearings, appearances, meetings and telephone calls are timed and recorded in six-minute units. Emails and letters sent and received are recorded as one unit each. Work done in excess of the time will be charged at the solicitor’s hourly rate, or an agreed fixed fee.

We will inform you if that is to be the case, however we do not expect to exceed the time periods expressed. If we are required to travel further than 10 miles or 30 minutes from our offices to any court appointment or meeting, we will charge reasonable travel expenses at 45p per mile plus time at our fixed-fee hourly rate. If it is more cost-effective, we may recommend that a barrister represents you in court, but this will only be suggested if it is felt most appropriate.

In most cases, we recommend that those heading to trial or a final hearing seek the services of a barrister to represent you in court. Our trial/final hearing service includes commissioning a barrister but not their fees for attending a conference or the court hearing. These would be communicated to you before commissioning so that you are kept aware of the costs involved, and in control of your matter.

Looking for more than just legal advice?

We know just how difficult divorce can be. You’ve probably got hundreds of questions and most of them are probably not related to the legal side of it whatsoever. We’ve thought that might be the case, and have created a number of guides for you, so you can get the answers you need.

DIVORCE GUIDES

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© 2018 DBS Law, DBS Plus, Claim Today Solicitors, and CTS Claim Today Solicitors are trading styles of PKA Legal Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with the company registration number: 11426547. A list of directors is available for inspection at the registered office: 69 Steward Street, Birmingham, B18 7AF. PKA Legal Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with the SRA ID: 652185.