Not all couples who get divorced decide to use a lawyer to help them and some will only use a lawyer to get advice on the basics, sorting out the rest out themselves. But many thousands of people do use a solicitor to help them agree a financial settlement. But how do you choose a divorce lawyer and what questions should you ask before you hire one for your own divorce?
Thousands of women could be denied access to Legal Aid to pay for divorce
From April couples who get divorced will only be able to get Legal Aid to deal with the finances where domestic violence is involved.
From April, Legal Aid won’t be available to couples going through a divorce to pay for legal help to sort out the financial aspects, unless domestic violence is involved. Instead, divorcing couples will have to go for mediation. Mediation is an informal negotiation process and while it can work for many couples, it’s not suitable for everyone (especially if there's a significant 'power' imbalance or dishonesty). Some lawyers believe couples – particularly women – will lose out
There are lots of reasons why things you own may not be split equally, or 50:50, when you divorce
Recently, I’ve had quite a few emails, either through the ‘ask the experts’ section, or just directly, from women who assume that everything they own will be split 50:50 with their husband (or civil partner) when they divorce. It’s easy to see why you might think that, but it’s rarely the case (except in Scotland, where the divorce law is different).
The material provided on this website is general information that is intended for general guidance and is not suitable for professional advice. You should always obtain independent financial advice.
