Family law solicitors & divorce lawyers Birmingham, West Midlands

Separation changes how you live, not your legal status. You’re still married, even if you live apart and feel the relationship has ended. Divorce is different. It’s the legal process that actually ends the marriage and allows both people to remarry.
At Stowe Family Law, we often see couples in Birmingham who are separated but not divorced. Sometimes, for months or even years. This can leave finances and future plans unresolved.
Separation on its own doesn’t deal with money or formally bring the marriage to an end. A divorce solicitor can explain what that means in practical terms.

For many people, it’s earlier than they expect, but not when everything feels clear or decided.
Some speak to a divorce solicitor when separation is first mentioned. Others, before one person moves out, or when worries about children or money start to grow. Those early decisions often affect what happens next.
Our Birmingham solicitors often speak to people who simply want to understand their options before taking any steps. It’s about clarity, not rushing into anything. The right timing depends on your situation.

No. You don’t have to use a divorce solicitor. Some people manage a divorce or separation themselves, especially where everything is agreed and straightforward.
However, things can become more complicated when children, property, pensions, or disagreements are involved. Legal advice can help you understand where you stand and avoid problems (and extra costs) later on.

No, and this is a very common misunderstanding. There’s no automatic rule that everything is split equally. The law looks at what’s fair, which can include things like:

• • Each person’s needs
  • Income
  • Contributions
  • Whether there are children

That’s why the idea that everything is split 50/50 in divorce often doesn’t reflect how financial decisions are actually made in practice. Sometimes assets are shared equally. Often, they aren’t.

The focus is always on what’s best for the children. In most cases, parents agree on arrangements themselves, including where the children live and how they spend time with each parent.
The law starts from the view that children benefit from having a relationship with both parents, as long as it’s safe. If agreement is difficult, mediation or the court can help.
At Stowe Family Law, our lawyers support Birmingham parents through these conversations. They keep the focus on what works for the children day to day.

The price of a divorce is completely dependent on each individual’s unique circumstances. For example, a high-net-worth divorce with complex financial structures will cost more than a straightforward, amicable divorce. Therefore, we cannot state one cost of a divorce as this isn’t true and we do not want to mislead you.

However, the court fee cost will always remain the same at £612 (previously £593). Our Birmingham divorce solicitors will listen to your circumstances and be able to provide an estimate of how much they think your divorce will cost.

Yes. Most cases are resolved out of court, but if a hearing is required you will attend Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre at Priory Courts in Birmingham city centre. Our solicitors will ensure you are fully prepared and supported throughout the process.

Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre is located at Priory Courts in Birmingham city centre, close to Colmore Row, Birmingham Cathedral, Snow Hill and the Bullring shopping centre. It is a short walk from Birmingham Snow Hill Station and around 10 minutes from Birmingham New Street via Corporation Street towards the business district and Priory Queensway.

From our Birmingham office at Cubo Chamberlain Square (B3 3AX), the court is within reach of the central business district and civic quarter. Nearby cafés include Starbucks on Bull Street, Pret A Manger on Corporation Street and independent favourite 200 Degrees Coffee on Colmore Row if you arrive early.

If driving, parking is available at Snow Hill Station car park, Dale End car park and Bullring car park.

• Birmingham City Centre (including the Jewellery Quarter)
• Bournville
• Harborne
• Edgbaston
• Lichfield
• Sutton Coldfield
• Moseley
• Warwick
• Worcester
• Stratford-Upon-Avon
• Aston
• Wolverhampton
• West Bromwich

Our Birmingham family law team has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to issues with child maintenance, relocation, and contact and residence. These issues can be emotionally taxing for parents and kids, who are already vulnerable due to parent separation, whether they occur during or after divorce. Your family law solicitor will work with you to choose the best course of action, reducing anxiety for everyone involved. For a step-by-step breakdown of your legal options around child arrangements, please refer to our child arrangements guide.

When you come to Stowe, we take the time to learn about you, your family, and your situation so that we can provide you with the personalised service you deserve during this difficult time. Your divorce lawyers will next describe the divorce procedure to you in terms you can comprehend, including the options accessible to you, timeframes, and strategies for avoiding challenges and delays.

A divorce application marks the start of your divorce process. You can apply for a divorce by yourself (sole applicant) or make a joint application with your ex-spouse (joint applicants). Getting this early part right is important as it can help to save you time and money; it can also help to make the process more amicable. Our divorce lawyers can support you in completing and submitting the divorce application to prevent delays.

You’ll receive notice of the divorce application if your spouse has filed for divorce. To properly respond, one must comprehend the often-confusing legal jargon that is utilised. Our Birmingham divorce lawyers can assist you in responding to a divorce application while putting you in the best position to obtain the most favourable results for you and your family.

England and Wales have a no-fault divorce system, which means you do not have to present a reason for the breakdown of your marriage, simply a statement that your marriage has irretrievably broken down.

A typical divorce typically takes between 6-8 months, thanks to the introduction of no-fault divorce in 2022. However, this can take longer depending on your circumstances, such as complex financial situations, the backlog of the Birmingham courts, and if your spouse engages with proceedings.

One of our Birmingham divorce solicitors, Sara Morton, is a 2026 recommended Legal 500 lawyer who specialises in business and overseas assets as well as pensions. With this in mind, Sara can more easily assess your financial circumstances, which can speed up the process.

We’ll do everything we can to ensure you have a smooth and efficient divorce process that is as fast as possible, which will also keep costs lower.

We recognise that the cost of divorce can be extremely intimidating. This is why we have solicitors who specialise in fixed-fee divorce. You’ll be informed of the cost for your divorce at the beginning of the process, so you have full pricing transparency from the get-go.

It’s important to know that fixed-fee divorce is only suitable in certain cases, but our Client Services team will listen to your circumstances and advise the right solution for your needs.

We understand just how stressful and overwhelming going to court can be on the whole family. Our Birmingham lawyers, like Claire Cleary, are Resolution members and specialists. This means we’ll prioritise a non-confrontational approach to your case, so much so that we actually solve over 80% of our cases outside of court.

We do this through the multiple non-court dispute resolution options we offer, such as mediation, collaborative law, and arbitration. Our experts have years of experience in negotiations, so you can trust that you’ll have well-versed solicitors by your side.

Yes! Our solicitors often work with high-net-worth individuals from areas such as Harborne, Solihull, and Edgbaston.

With experience in various jurisdictions, we can make the complex understandable, so you feel confident in the decisions you’re making.

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