Amicable Divorce Free Guide
Thinking about divorce but want to keep things as straightforward and amicable as possible?
This short guide will help you understand what to expect, avoid common pitfalls, and make informed decisions from the outset, saving you time, stress, and unnecessary cost.
7 things to know before starting an online amicable divorce
What needs to be in place for an online divorce to progress smoothly
Why a divorce alone doesn’t achieve a full financial separation
How to protect your finances and future interests early on
When mediation can support an amicable outcome and when legal advice is important
Separation and Divorce FAQs
Do you offer free consultations?
I offer a 15 mins discovery call, which is a chance to see if I am able to help you with your case, and to be able to signpost you to somewhere else if either I can’t help, or there would be someone better placed to help you right now. Or if I can help I’ll then book a longer paid for appointment with you.
Your 15 min discovery call is not designed to be an advice session, and you might find that I am asking you a lot of questions, which I am doing to see if we can help you and whether I’m a good fit for you.
Equally you need to know that I am the right firm for you.
When I fully understand your situation, and how I can help, I will always give you an individual bespoke estimate of costs depending on what your individual situation is. Sometimes I can do that based on the 15 mins call, but sometimes I will invite you in for an initial fixed fee paid for appointment and then after that I can give you a full bespoke estimate of costs.
I will always be transparent about costs, and give you up front clear information about costs.
I also encourage you to ask any costs questions so I can give you clear information up front so you can decide what you want to do.
Do you offer Sears Tooth Agreements?
Sorry it’s a no. This is an agreement for you to pay your legal costs at the end of a case or have a debt secured against a property for your fees to be paid later. I don’t offer this because as a small business I need to make sure that I have a reasonable cash flow, to pay the bills that all businesses have. I normally invoice clients on a monthly basis. If you need an agreement like this to defer your fees, you would be better to make enquiries with a larger firm who may be prepared to defer receiving payments.
Can I pay at the end of the case?
Unfortunately, I don’t offer this because as a small business I need to make sure that I have a reasonable cash flow, to pay the bills that all businesses have. I normally invoice clients on a monthly basis. If you need an agreement like this to pay at the end, you would be better to make enquiries with a larger firm who may be prepared to defer receiving payments.
Do you offer legal aid?
Sorry no I don’t offer legal aid. I work on a private paying basis, so you pay for the work that I do, and I normally send invoices on a monthly basis, for the work that I have done for you during that month. I usually also ask you to pay some money ‘on account’.
Why is my lawyer asking me to pay money 'on account'?
This is so that I have some money ready to pay a court fee or a third party fee, like a barrister’s fee or a valuation fee for example. Also so that I can ensure a continuous coverage of representation for you, otherwise I might have to stop acting for you, while I wait for you to pay an invoice.
How much is a divorce?
There is a court fee (currently £612) that you have to pay the court for filing your divorce petition, some people can get an exemption if they are on a low income or receiving benefits. Everyone’s situation is different which is why I offer a free 15 mins discovery call so I can understand more about you and what you might need. The main thing to understand is that “divorce’ is two separate processes; it’s the legal divorce petition which defines your legal marital status, and it’s also separating your finances from each other. This is sometimes called the ‘clean break’ or financial settlement or ancillary relief order.
Lots of people in England and Wales now use the government online portal themselves to do their legal divorce petition. I can help you with this, if you prefer me to help. I will charge for my time on an hourly basis and to give you an idea of costs, it’s unlikely to cost more than £1,500 plus vat and will probably be less.
I can also help you with the financial settlement side, and I will arrange a meeting in person or online to discuss what you need and create a bespoke plan with you, according to your individual situation. You can then agree on a plan which suits your exact needs, and no more or less than you need.