Divorce Financial Settlement Solicitors

Not necessarily. You can use any alternative means of dispute resolution to come to an agreement which means you can reach a settlement without having to step inside a courtroom. We always advise that any such agreement is recorded in a consent order and approved by the court so that it become legally binding.

We appreciate that distributing financial assets on divorce is not a “one size fits all” approach. Sometimes court proceedings will be necessary, but when dealing with financial issues our starting point is effective negotiation – resolving differences practically and efficiently in a child-centred manner. We also advise on the alternatives to court proceedings, including arbitration, mediation, and collaborative law.

At the meeting we will run through your assets and explain to you what further financial disclosure you might need to be able to make an informed decision about settlement. For example, this might include property valuations where a property value is in dispute; an independent accountancy report if there are business assets which are disputed or a pension sharing report to understand the pensions and how they might be divided between you. We will also explain what factors the court will take into consideration if the court was being asked to make a decision and the various orders that can be made.

We will also run through the various options available to you and your spouse/civil partner to reach a financial settlement. Insofar as possible, we will work with you to negotiate a financial settlement with your spouse or their solicitor without the need to attend court. We take a pragmatic, realistic and commercial approach to settlement for all of our clients. Where court proceedings become necessary, however, our team are able to advise effectively on the strategy to ensure a fair outcome for you. We can also discuss with you alternative options to dispute resolution.

We are experienced in complex family law litigation and have significant expertise in dealing with cases involving complex pensions, businesses, and high value family or business assets.

You may be worried that your spouse has not disclosed, or will not disclose, all assets or will try to undervalue or dissipate them to frustrate your financial claims. If necessary, we can apply to the court to reverse such transactions and obtain freezing and disclosure orders, ensuring your spouse makes a truthful and honest presentations of their financial circumstances.