Family Law.
· Children
· Divorce, separation and matrimonial finance
· Domestic Abuse
· Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements
· Unmarried Couples/Cohabitation
Children
You may be separating but you both remain parents. And most parents want to minimise the emotional impact of their divorce on their children. However negotiating fair and workable childcare arrangements can be uniquely stressful for parents, who may be worrying about everything from alienation and removal from the UK, to custody and financial provision.
At ThomasHaywood we have helped hundreds of couples to reduce the burden of divorce on themselves and their children. Our experienced lawyers can guide you through the process of resolving sensitive issues by helping you to focus on what is in your children’s best interests, either through mediation, negotiation or with the assistance of the court.
Throughout the process we aim to combine a sympathetic, creative and pragmatic approach to problem solving with a determined commitment to our clients’ interests.
Our expertise covers:
· parental responsibility,
· step parent parental responsibility,
· residence and contact issues now known as Child Arrangements,
· specific issue orders,
· prohibited steps orders,
· removal from the jurisdiction,
· dealing with the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit,
· applications by grandparents,
· financial provision for children,
· Schedule 1 Children Act applications.
For more information on how we can help you, or to discuss your individual circumstances, please get in touch with Sarah Haywood on 01892 765013 or sarah@thomashaywoodsolicitors.com
Divorce, Separation and Matrimonial Finance
Making the decision that your marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down, or being told that by your spouse or partner, are among the hardest things that anyone has to face. Survey after survey puts divorce and separation among the most stressful life events, along with bereavement, serious illness and unemployment. So the last thing you need is lawyers who make the process harder than it needs to be.
At ThomasHaywood, we fight hard for our clients’ interests, but we also think creatively and act pragmatically to reduce confrontation and stress wherever possible. As ‘industry bible’ the Legal 500 reported, ThomasHaywood’s family team is ‘understanding and compassionate whilst at the same time being direct and assertive when required’. We will discuss the best options available to you and provide efficient, constructive and sensitive advice.
A key step is to resolve the financial arrangements between you and your partner following your separation. We can guide you through this complex process, from handling immediate, interim provision to the final order. This can include help with;
· property adjustment orders,
· lump sum orders,
· periodical payments for you,
· periodical payments for your children,
· school fees orders,
· pension sharing orders,
· freezing assets,
· setting aside dispositions or transfers,
· enforcing orders,
· varying orders,
· capitalising maintenance payments.
Once your financial position has been clarified and understood, we will advise you of the options available in your case. This advice is tailored to your unique circumstances, and will cover possible outcomes, potential fees and how best to conduct the case to your advantage, whether through mediation, negotiation or with the help of the court.
It may even be that a divorce isn’t the right option for you at this time, in which case we can help you to negotiate a separation agreement to regulate all aspects of your separation, from childcare arrangements to finances, both in the short term and in the event of a future divorce.
We take matters of all sizes, but have notable expertise in high value cases involving family businesses, pensions, tax issues and international assets. Our dedicated team offers considerable experience of dealing with the complex arguments that arise in such cases, whether you are seeking to protect assets, freeze assets or claim your fair share.
For more information on how we can help you, or to discuss your individual circumstances, please get in touch with Sarah Haywood on 01892 765013 or sarah@thomashaywoodsolicitors.com
Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse should never be tolerated. But it can be very difficult to admit that it is happening to you. It also takes many forms: not just physical abuse but also coercive and controlling behaviour, such as gaslighting and narcissistic manipulation. The good news is that in recent years the courts have become more aware of these problems, and the law has been evolving a broader range of tools for protecting victims.
At ThomasHaywood we have considerable experience of working with the victims of domestic abuse. We can help you to protect yourself and your children, providing the earliest possible appointment and arranging for an immediate emergency order from the court if required. We will also discuss with you, in a compassionate, understanding way, the particular forms of abuse you are facing, outlining your options clearly, and agreeing with you a strategy for moving forward.
Conversely, we can also assist if you have been served with an order under the Family Law Act that you wish to defend.
For more information on how we can help you, or to discuss your individual circumstances, please get in touch with Sarah Haywood on 01892 765013 or sarah@thomashaywoodsolicitors.com
Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Pre- and post-nuptial agreements have been gaining popularity in recent years, as the stigma of being ‘unromantic’ starts to fade and more and more people come to appreciate their value. Once just a thing for celebrities and the super-rich, they are increasingly in demand among people of more moderate resources.
This is hardly surprising. Although English law still doesn’t recognise them in the same way they are recognised in other jurisdictions, such as in the US, the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 required courts to take them into consideration. Progress has been slow, but of late this area of law has been changing and in recent cases the courts have been markedly keener to enforce the terms of these agreements.
At ThomasHaywood we have considerable experience in helping couples to negotiate workable pre- and post-nuptial agreements. We can help you to reach an agreement, either through negotiating on your behalf or working as a mediator for both you and your partner. We can then draft the document, which can help to preserve pre-acquired or inherited assets and to minimise distress in the unfortunate event that your relationship does breakdown.
For more information on how we can help you, or to discuss your individual circumstances, please get in touch with Sarah Haywood on 01892 765013 or sarah@thomashaywoodsolicitors.com
Unmarried Couples/Cohabitation
These days it’s common for couples to choose to live together rather than marry or enter a civil partnership – so common, in fact, that around half of all children in the UK are now born outside of marriage. These relationships are typically just as committed as a marriage or civil partnership, often involving children, as well as joint assets and liabilities.
When these relationships breakdown, however, the legal consequences can be is very different to those faced when a marriage or civil partnership breaks down. In particular, although surveys show that almost half of all cohabiting couples think that they have rights as a ‘common law spouse’, this is a myth. In fact a ‘common law marriage’ has no legal standing in England and Wales and cohabitees can’t count on the same rights are a spouse.
At ThomasHaywood we have helped many cohabiting couples to define and protect their rights. We can help you at all stages of your relationship, from drafting a comprehensive cohabitation agreement when you move in together to negotiating a fair division of assets and responsibilities in the sad event of a breakdown. The law in this area is complex and we have experience of guiding couples through the potential pitfalls, whether by mediation or with the assistance of the court.
For more information on how we can help you, or to discuss your individual circumstances, please get in touch with Sarah Haywood on 01892 765013 or sarah@thomashaywoodsolicitors.com