Family Law

Welcome to the family law department. If you require assistance in relation to protective planning for your future or if your relationship has broken down, we will listen, advise and represent you to assist you moving forward.

If you are intending to, or are already living together as an unmarried couple and you would like to ensure that the assets you have built up prior to the relationship are protected, our family law department can advise you in relation to cohabitation agreements. These apply in a number of circumstances. For example, a family member may have gifted you money towards a property and want to ensure in the event of separation you alone will receive the benefit of those funds rather than your partner. You may only have been able to secure a mortgage in one person’s name due to one of you having a lower income, but want to ensure it is nonetheless clear the property is to be divided jointly between you. We can also discuss the benefits of a Deed of Trust.

If you are intending to, or are already living together as an unmarried couple and you would like to ensure that the assets you have built up prior to the relationship are protected, Our family law department can advise you in relation to cohabitation agreements. There may be circumstances where a family member has gifted you money towards a property for example and they want this to remain confidential and that in the event of separation you will receive the benefit of those funds rather than your partner. We can also discuss the benefits of a Deed of Trust.

Whilst going through the planning stages for marriage you may wish to consider a pre-nuptial and / or post-nuptial agreement. This may not sound romantic but it is a helpful ‘insurance policy’ and a good way to reduce potential disagreements within the marriage relating to property and intended ownership. Financial disagreements can be a major cause of marital disputes and are frequently a significant factor in marital breakdown. A nuptial agreement is intended to clarify what each party would expect to leave the marriage with, in the event of separation.

It is a sad fact, but not all marriages will work and in these circumstances we can advise you in relation to divorce and judicial separation, whether you are married or have entered a civil partnership. If you truly believe that there is no prospect of reconciliation, we can advise and assist you during these difficult times. Financial security is often a worry, particularly where a couple have lived together for a long time and have children. We will always consider whether mediation is suitable for you and will always try and help you to reach an amicable agreement. However, in circumstances where an agreement cannot be reached, you may require a Judge to make a decision as to what is fair. We will explain the court process and assist throughout. We believe that this is a last resort as we understand that the Court arena is an intimidating place for most people.

Our Family Law Solicitors Heather Snowdon, Emma Canham and Beth Courtney-Walker have a wide range of experience in dealing with issues relating to arrangements for children of the family, particularly in relation to which parent a child lives with and how the spend time with the other parent. If you are a grandparent, and want to ensure that you continue to have a relationship with your grandchild, we can advise you in relation to grandparents’ rights and guide you through the process of establishing this wherever possible.

We meet and advise people from all different backgrounds and situations, some who are excitedly planning for the future and others dealing with making difficult decisions . You are welcome to meet with one of our solicitors for a free initial consultation to share your experience and find out how we can advise and assist in moving forward. With offices in Newcastle upon Tyne and Teesside we are well placed to help clients in any area of the North East from Northumberland to North Yorkshire including Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Hartlepool, Darlington, County Durham, Sunderland, Gateshead, Newcastle and Northumberland.

If required, we can call upon the specialist advice of our colleagues who have experience of giving advice on a wide range of issues including company law, pensions, mortgages, tax allowance and reliefs.

We can help you in all aspects of family law including:

• Cohabitation agreements
• Disputes over children
• Divorce
• Domestic violence
• Finances
• Separation
• Pre-nuptial agreements
• Grandparent’s rights
• Disagreements over the home
• Disputes between unmarried partners
• Implications of breakdown on tax, pensions and joint borrowing
• Collaborative Law