Our Family Law Pricing

The initial consultation is limited to a one-hour appointment at one of our branch offices or via Teams. It is intended to be a ‘fact-finding’ session to enable us to provide you with initial advice and guidance on the problems and or concerns that you are facing.

The initial consultation fee does not include reviewing case papers in detail, drafting court documentation for you, preparing correspondence for you or liaising with the opponent, Court or any third party during or following your meeting, or written advice at the conclusion of your consultation.

Should you require a home visit an additional fee of £150 plus VAT shall apply.

How much will a divorce cost? – Acting for the Applicant

In respect of cases that deal with divorce, (but not including work in relation to any associated matters such as financial and children disputes) if you are the Applicant to the divorce this firm can undertake this work and deal with matters on your behalf on a fixed fee basis at the rate of £550 plus VAT. The fixed fee does not include work in relation to any of the following:

• the cost of any Court fees
• the cost of having to arrange for the other party to be personally served with the divorce papers if he/she does not acknowledge receiving them
• the cost of having to apply for deemed service, or to dispense with service of the application
• applying for an order for service other than by post
• representing you at any Court hearings
• amending any papers after they have been sent to the Court
• any cost in relation to obtaining a certified copy of your marriage certificate (if you do not have the original)
• any cost in relation to translating your marriage certificate if it is not in English
• any advice in relation to children and finance issues

If any of the above-mentioned excluded matters arise you will be provided with a revised estimate to take into account the additional work that will be required, which will be charged in accordance with the hourly rate of your solicitor.

How much will a divorce cost? – Acting for the Respondent

If you are the Respondent to the divorce this firm can undertake this work and deal with matters on your behalf on a fixed fee basis at the rate of £395 plus VAT. The fixed fee does not include work in relation to any of the following:

• the cost of applying for Final Order (if the other party does not make their application promptly)
• representing you at any Court hearings
• any advice in relation to children and finance issues

In the event you no longer wish to proceed with your divorce, kindly note the fixed fee (either as the Applicant or Respondent) remains payable.

Court fees

Whether you use a lawyer or not, you must pay court fees to get a divorce or dissolution. This is currently £593.

The process

Application

When your spouse receives a copy of the application, they must fill in a form to say they have received it and that they accept the divorce. This is known as an Acknowledgment of Service. If your spouse does not return the form, you will need to consider what steps need to be taken in order to prove your spouse has been served.

Conditional Order

This can be applied for after 20 weeks has elapsed since your application was issued by the Court. The court will check the divorce papers and if they are happy with them, will issue a Conditional Order. A Conditional Order means the court agrees you should be entitled to a divorce. A Conditional Order does not mean your divorce is final. You must wait six weeks to apply for a Final Order.

Final Order

Six weeks and one day after the Conditional Order is granted you can apply for the Order to be made Final which finally brings the marriage to an end. If you (as the Applicant) do not make an application within three months, your spouse (respondent) can then apply for it.

Alongside that process you and your spouse will need to work out arrangements for any children and sort out your family finances and housing arrangements. Further costs information on children and finances matters can be found below.

How long will the process take?

It is likely to take some six months to complete the divorce proceedings. Division of finances and child arrangements are separate processes, which can take less time or longer, depending on the circumstances. On occasions the inability to resolve the division of finances may mean that you should delay completing your divorce proceedings.

What will it cost?

In respect of cases that deal with cohabitation agreements, if you require us to prepare a cohabitation agreement for you or review a cohabitation agreement which has been prepared for you to sign, such matters can be dealt with on your behalf on a fixed fee basis at the rate of £1,550 plus VAT.

Included within the fee quoted above is the cost of the Initial Consultation at £120 plus VAT. If you choose not to proceed following the initial consultation, then the cost of the initial consultation shall be payable.

The practice fees for work done where an agreement does not proceed to complete will be charged on the time actually spent on the matter. Our current hourly rates are set out further below.

What is included within the fee?

The cohabitation agreement will set out who owns what and in what proportion in the relationship and covers elements such as the following:

• Ownership of property
• Deposit on your home
• What share of the mortgage or rent you will pay
• How household bills will be dealt with
• Life insurance
• Pensions
• Assets such as cars, furniture, other property, jewellery
• Bank accounts and money
• Payment of debts

The fixed fee will include a meeting with one of our specialist family solicitors to obtain your instructions, detailed advice on the content of the tailored cohabitation agreement and arranging for both parties to execute the agreement.

What is not included within the quoted fee?

The fixed fee does not include providing advice on the content of the cohabitation agreement, any assistance you may require following the breakdown of the cohabitation agreement or any modifications once it has been entered into by the parties. It is advised that you keep it updated as your relationship changes or if anything significant happens in your relationship. Should you require further assistance, we can help you and advise you of our further fees which would apply.

How will we work out your costs estimate?

Costs estimates are influenced by several factors including the complexity of your affairs – for instance, a divorcing couple with few assets and no children would likely pay less in legal fees than someone with multiple assets and children. Should a matter become contested then that will have a significant impact on any cost estimate.

The best way to obtain a bespoke estimate adapted to unique circumstances is to book an initial consultation with one of the team. Initial consultations are at a discounted price of £120 plus VAT for a one-hour meeting which can be arranged in person or online, whatever suits you.

Our fees are charged by an hourly rate. The current hourly rates are set out below. These rates do not include VAT which is added when the invoice is prepared.

Examples of typical finances instructions and our estimated costs

In some cases, the parties may have already reached a financial agreement upon separation and merely wish to instruct a solicitor to incorporate that agreement into a legally binding document. Even if you have reached an agreement and are happy to proceed on this basis, we strongly recommend you ensure you have taken into account the value of your spouses’ pension and all other assets. It is advised that this information is provided to you within a form E (financial statement) and Form P (pension enquiry form).

Where you wish to proceed with a financial settlement, we would estimate that my costs in drafting a Consent Order and the associated legal documents, and providing you with advice and corresponding with the other side and the Court, are likely to be in the region of £1,500 to £1,600 plus VAT. You will also incur a disbursement of £58 in respect of the Court fee payable upon lodging a Consent Order.

If an agreement has not been reached, we will therefore need to deal with financial disclosure and/or negotiations that lead to a settlement without the issuing of proceedings, it is difficult to assess the likely level of costs from the outset as each case will have its own individual factors. However, and on the basis that matters are agreed promptly, we would estimate your costs to be in the region of £3,500 to £4,250 plus VAT and again you will also incur a disbursement of £58 in respect of the Court fee payable upon lodging a Consent Order.

If it is not possible to reach an agreement and an application to the Court is required we would estimate that your costs up to and including arranging for you to be represented at the First Appointment hearing would be in the region of £4,250 to £7,000 plus VAT. You will also incur a disbursement in respect of the Court issue fee (currently £275).

In the event that we proceed to a Financial Dispute Resolution Appointment with a District Judge who will actively attempt to assist you in reaching an agreement, we would estimate your costs would be in the region of £7,000 to £11,000 plus VAT. In the event that the matter has to proceed to a Final Hearing, the costs could be in the region of £11,000 to £18,000 plus VAT, depending on the complexity of the matter and the number of issues that are in dispute. We will keep you up-dated in relation to the level of costs at regular intervals of your case, as it is simply not possible to predict how a case will proceed from the outset. We therefore may be obliged to increase or decrease the estimates provided herein accordingly.

Examples of typical children related instructions and our estimated costs

If there has been a breakdown in the arrangements for children it may be possible to resolve any disputes through negotiation and/or mediation. If we are instructed to deal with a dispute concerning children and we are able to resolve matters through negotiation and/or mediation, we would estimate that your legal fees could be in the region of £750 to £1,200 plus VAT. If a referral to mediation is made any charges that are imposed by the mediation provider will be your responsibility and separate to this estimate.

If is it not possible to reach agreement concerning the arrangements for children and an application to the Court under the Children Act 1989 were required, we would estimate that your costs up to and including arranging for you to be represented at the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment would be in the region of £3,500 to £5,500 plus VAT. You will also incur a disbursement in respect of the Court issue fee (currently £255).

In the event that matters then had to proceed to the Dispute Resolution Appointment we would estimate your costs to be in the region of £5,500 to £8,000 plus VAT. In the event that we proceed to a Final Hearing, the costs could be in the region of £8,000 to £15,000 plus VAT, depending on the complexity of the matter and the number of issues that are in dispute. So far as your costs are concerned, we will of course keep you up-dated in relation to the level of costs as your case progresses as it is simply not possible to predict how a case will proceed from the outset. We therefore may be obliged to increase or decrease the estimates provided herein accordingly.

This timescale obviously depends on a number of factors, some of which are outside of our control (i.e. the time it takes others to react or for the Court to process documents or to schedule hearings). Many cases can reach a final hearing within 9 – 12 months, however it is possible that the matter can be resolved sooner if the parties are able to agree settlement terms and the Court approves the settlement. In more complex cases which require the inclusion of a Fact Finding Hearing, it is possible that a children dispute could take some 12 – 18 months before a final order is made.

Non-molestation Orders and/or Occupation Order
Separation Agreements

How will we work out your costs estimate?

Costs estimates are influenced by several factors including the complexity of your affairs. The best way to obtain a bespoke estimate adapted to unique circumstances is to book an initial consultation with one of the team. We can offer initial consultations in person or online, whatever suits you.

Our fees are charged by an hourly rate. The current hourly rates are set out below. These rates do not include VAT which is added when the invoice is prepared.

Non-molestation Orders and/or Occupation Order – Examples of typical instructions and our charges

If you wish to apply for a Non-Molestation Order and/or Occupation Order, our initial costs of an estimated £4,850 plus VAT will include the following:-

1. First Appointment – At this meeting your solicitor will obtain your instructions on the history of your relationship and details of recent incidents between the opponent and yourself.
2. Preparation of documents – Your solicitor will prepare your application, along with a statement, setting out all the relevant facts of your case. If there are witnesses, your solicitor may also wish to see them take statements so that further affidavits can be prepared and sworn by them. The application will then be lodged by your solicitor to and a hearing date fixed, at which you will be represented by a barrister. This is likely to be about a week ahead (although sometimes the Court can take longer to process applications), unless your case is so urgent that a hearing the same day is required.
3. Where the Court issues you with a Non-Molestation Order and/or Occupation Order, your solicitor will arrange for the Orders to be served upon the opponent. Where the Court stipulates that the Order should be personally served on the opponent, your solicitor will arrange for a process server to locate and serve the opponent. The costs of the process server are likely to be in the region of £150 plus VAT – this disbursement falls outside of the costs estimate and will be charged for separately.

Where a return hearing takes place, in order to determine whether your Order(s) should continue, be varied or discharged, we estimate you are likely incur costs in the region of £3,900 plus VAT which is inclusive of the cost of a barrister to represent you at your hearing.

In the event the opponent challenges the orders you have obtained the opponent, the Court may decide to convene a Fact Finding Hearing before a Final Hearing can be convened to determine the dispute. Where this happens it is possible you could incur costs in the region of £8,000 to £12,000 plus VAT, which is inclusive of the costs of a barrister to represent you at such hearings.

Separation Agreements – Examples of typical instructions and our charges

If you decide that separation is the most appropriate course of action, you may want to have agreements recorded in relation to children, property and money in a legal document. This will ensure that if you or your partner wish to bring the relationship to an end, the agreements already made cannot necessarily be easily undone.

We can create an enforceable separation agreement covering a full range of issues, including:

• Mortgages, rent and bills
• Debt payments
• Arrangements for children
• Maintenance and living expenses
• The distribution of property and assets

Our estimated costs of £1600 plus VAT will include a meeting with one of our specialist family solicitors to obtain your instructions, detailed advice on the content of your tailored separation agreement and arranging for both parties to execute the agreement.

The estimated costs does not include providing advice on the content of the separation agreement to the opponent, or any ancillary work which is needed, such as transferring property or assets between the parties.

We do not offer legal aid.

We do not have a legal aid contract. You can search for a legal advisor or family mediator with a legal aid contract here:

Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator (justice.gov.uk)

Find out if you can get legal aid

Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court.

You can find out if you can get legal aid here: –

Check if you can get legal aid – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Our professional charges are subject to payment of VAT. Please note that vat will be payable at the prevailing rate as at the invoice date. You will be provided with a VAT Invoice in respect of our charges.

Head of Department

Our Head of Department is Rebecca Antoniou. Rebecca is responsible for supervising our team of family lawyers.