Back 4 May 2018Do I need a family solicitor? Do I need a family solicitor? The saying goes that a man who acts for himself has a fool for a client. Family lawyers often receive bad press and are accused of encouraging exes to fight it out in a court arena in order to drive up fees so the law firms make more money. This is simply not true in our case and a lot of the allegations are down to sensationalist journalism and disgruntled divorcees. At Maguire Family Law we pride ourselves on encouraging separating couples to separate/divorce amicably and this is proved by the fact the two founding directors were once married and now amicably divorced. They also have 2 children but can prove that not all divorces or separations have to be both financially and emotionally catastrophic. If you are recently separated then we would recommend speaking to a family and matrimonial specialist before embarking on the process yourself and potentially making an irreversible error. This is far more useful than picking up bits of advice from google or family/friends. No two divorces are the same in relation to splitting the financial assets as every case and set of circumstances are different. The same can also be said for sorting out the child care arrangements. A straightforward amicable case just doesn’t quite make for media attention. High net worth cases have grabbed the headlines along with their often hefty legal bills. This has resulted in scaring the people away from using specialist legal services. A common misconception is that legal fees will end in bankruptcy. This just isn’t the case. Seeking specialist legal advice from the outset could potentially save you thousands later on. As a result of this scaremongering, we have come across a lot of client’s who take a bit of advice here and there and go it alone. This has had disastrous consequences. We cannot undo irreversible damage if you have made a fundamental error along the way, which could ultimately mean you have caused yourself further financial damage/hardship than if a solicitor had just been instructed from day one. The following examples can have dire results without seeking specialist family law advice, which can be difficult if not impossible to undo. In trying to do so can be very expensive:- A wrong box is ticked/completed on the divorce petition; Accepting an offer in open correspondence that you later want to renege on; Signing a badly drafted financial consent order or child arrangements order; Not having a financial consent order in place at all; Signing a pre-nuptial, post-nuptial or separation agreement with no understanding of what it means and no financial disclosure has taken place; Saying something that implicates yourself in court proceedings and impacts detrimentally to your case; Delay in dealing with finances and then assets have increased in value over time from your own efforts, or you have come in to money – all of which is capable of being claimed by your ex For further advice in relation to divorce and finances, including maintenance award, please contact one of our Associate Solicitors, Kirsten Tomlinson on 01625 544 650 or email: kirsten.tomlinson@family-law.co.uk Maguire Family Law is a highly recommended niche practise specialising in family law matters. We have a large team and can offer advice at any of our locations as follows:- Wilmslow 01625 544650 Knutsford 01565 648228 London 0207 9474219 Manchester 0161 8048441 For specialist advice on any family law related issue contact Maguire Family Law by email: james.maguire@family-law.co.uk or telephone: Wilmslow 01625 544 650 London 0207 947 4219 Knutsford 01565 743 300 Manchester 0161 537 2808 Categories Case Studies (20) Children (268) Divorce (510) Finances (179) Insights (1) International (46) Reported cases (36) Related News Navigating Child Relocation Disputes 18 November 2024 Family Law: VAT on School Fees 31 July 2024 Navigating Narcissism in Family Law 17 July 2024