How to choose a solicitor when facing divorce or separation?
You need to choose a solicitor who is right for you and who you can work with. An initial meeting is crucial to establish whether that relationship will work. Does that solicitor understand your needs, and can they provide the right solution for you and your family?
Should I opt for free legal advice?
We are occasionally asked if we offer an initial free meeting for advice in respect of separation or divorce. We do not offer free initial advice. We feel that those who need help and support in this area need a lot more time and consideration than “the free half hour” provides. You have big decisions to make do you really want free advice?
It can take a lot of courage and effort to instruct a solicitor for the first time and it is important that the best use is made of your time.
So, what information does a solicitor require when advising on divorce and separation?
Your solicitor will need a considerable amount of information about your situation with the significant dates of when your relationship started, if you cohabited before marriage, and when that took place, when you got married and if you have them the dates your children were born.
In addition to a history of the relationship all key financial information about your financial position is needed. This will include the nature and extent of your assets, the dates of acquisition and whether they were built up during the marriage or inherited.
What are your main concerns on divorce or separation?
This is the most crucial question to you. Significant concerns may be seeing your children, safeguarding your home or having a sound financial future and securing a pension?
How we help our clients.
At Belderbos Solicitors we use a product called Engage which enables you be prepared for and obtain the maximum benefit from your first meeting. This preparation comes in the form of a user friendly interactive questionnaire which can be completed at your own pace, prompting you for the information your solicitor requires.
Once completed we receive a full report setting out exactly what your concerns are and what questions you would like to be addressed prior to the meeting. This enables us to prepare ahead of your meeting and from the outset enable us to immediately start giving you the advice that you need. We will have all as the important financial data, length of marriage and information about of your children so that we can help you. You will not spend the majority of the first hour struggling to recall all that data. By using this we can offer the best advice in the opening few minutes.
Put yourself in a position to make decisions regarding your divorce and separation
You will be prepared having spent time gathering all the important information and focused on the real questions that you want answered. You will approach the meeting from a position of strength ready to make decisions and move forward. You will be ready to find out what a divorce or separation might look like for you.
Discussing divorce and separation is not easy but we can make it easier for you.
Our clients have described the initial process of answering the questionnaire as helpful, simple, illuminating, easy to complete, putting my mind at rest and showing the bigger picture.
How do I find a specialist family solicitor?
James Belderbos is a specialist family lawyer, a trained collaborative practitioner, and mediator. A family solicitor based in Oakham, Rutland with clients in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and throughout the UK offering remote meetings via Zoom or telephone. He is dedicated to finding the right solution for you and, where possible, will help you obtain a divorce without going to court. If you are faced with many questions and uncertainty and would like to have a greater understanding of your position and achieve some peace of mind, then contact us by completing our enquiry form.
