Despite the portrayal of divorce lawyers in the media, we aren’t that bad! Family law is a very complex area of law. It is perhaps not as high profile as commercial litigation or banking law, but family law solicitors appreciate that they play a crucial role in helping someone get through what is a very difficult time in their lives. They use their legal and communication skills to successfully navigate you through a divorce, separation or access issues.
At Liston Family Law, we pride ourselves on our communication skills, empathy and friendly service, and you can expect this from your first consultation right through to resolution of your case.
It is important for you to know exactly what you want from your first appointment with a family law solicitor. Are you looking for some general information on separation or divorce or maintenance? Do you know whether you are ready to take the next step and file and serve proceedings? If you know what kind of advice you are looking for, you will get more out of the meeting.
To assist us, ideally you would bring a copy of your marriage certificate (if married) and be able to provide us with information including:
- Name and dates of birth of any dependent children (children under 18 or 23 if still in full-time education)
- Details of household finances, including income, debt, mortgages, pensions, savings and so on
It should also be noted that you don’t have to go with the first family law solicitor that you meet. Maybe you just don’t click with the solicitor you have met, and that is okay. You need to find a solicitor that you are comfortable with, because your case could be resolved in a matter of weeks or it could, potentially, be years if it is a contested divorce. The first meeting is a good time to size up the solicitor and decide if you work well together, because that is what family law matters need most – client and solicitor working together to get to a solution.
Before making an appointment with Liston Family Law, we encourage you to consider relationship counselling and mediation. If you are sure that the relationship is beyond repair, then please contact us to discuss the options.