Bristol divorce lawyers & family solicitors

Whether you’re looking to divorce your partner, or you’re responding to a divorce application made by your spouse, you’ll be looking for expert help and support, delivered sympathetically and with compassion.

The divorce process can be confusing, and for many, it can instil a sense of anxiety and frustration; which is why we take great care to outline the emotional, practical and legal challenges that lie ahead whilst providing next steps so that you can move forward to achieve the outcome you’re looking for.

We can provide guidance on completing the divorce application, through to negotiating financial settlements and child custody (child arrangement orders). Our expert team is based in offices located on Queen Square (BS1) so we’re well placed to help you if you’re looking for divorce solicitors in Bristol.

Yes! No one discusses how to actually begin a divorce, so we understand why you’re confused and overwhelmed. When you reach out to us, our specialist divorce team will help you decide whether you want to apply on your own (known as a sole applicant) or with your ex (known as joint applicants). We urge all of our clients to figure this out sooner rather than later to save everyone time, money, and prevent any delays. 

We’ve helped numerous Bristol clients with their divorce applications. If you’ve been served a divorce application that names you as the ‘respondent’, it means you need to agree you have received the application as well as inform the courts if you dispute any of it. However, it’s easy to feel unsure how to do this correctly due to all of the legal jargon. That’s where we come in. Our divorce lawyers will guide you through the application process in terms that make sense to you, so you feel confident about your decisions. 

Working out your arrangements for child custody can be a difficult and emotional step, and while it can become a contentious issue, it is in the best interests of your children to reach an amicable agreement with your ex-partner. It is helpful to have the support of a child law specialist on-hand to provide guidance on what a fair and workable arrangement might look like for you and your family. Our Bristol child solicitors have extensive experience in child arrangement cases and have seen a variety of solutions to suit every situation, no matter how niche. Our goal is to get the best outcome for your children and to help you to maintain a positive relationship with your ex-partner where possible.

Each marriage is different, and this is always reflected in your finances. Trying to unpick years of financial ties can feel like an overwhelming task, and there are often complex financial issues that need to be resolved. Financial Settlements (commonly known as Divorce settlements) can cover everything from pensions, to investments, the family home, and even assets you owned before you got married; so getting expert financial and legal help is important if you’re looking to protect your assets while providing for your family once the divorce is finalised.

We have experience in dealing with complex financial matters, property and estates; as well as catering to high net worth individuals and clients with assets abroad, so if you are looking to achieve a fair settlement while protecting your assets, our financial settlement lawyers and forensic accounting team can help you.

Like divorce, ending a civil partnership will take a heavy emotional toll. While some are familiar with the concept of divorce, for many, the path to dissolving a civil partnership will be much less clear; this process is known as dissolution and can only be instigated after you’ve been in a civil partnership for a year. If you choose to dissolve your civil partnership, you will be entitled to all the same benefits and entitlements as those who get divorced, and in a similar vein, thought will need to be given to the sharing of assets, arrangements for children. The main difference between dissolution and divorce is that you cannot use ‘adultery’ as your grounds for dissolution, this must instead fall under ‘unreasonable behaviour’. To help you navigate a dissolution, our expert team can provide practical guidance and peace of mind.

Our expert family law solicitors have decades of experience and have access to hundreds of years worth of expertise from our teams across the country. We’re the UK’s largest family law specialist, delivering tailored service and expertise, locally to you.

Our client-centric approach has seen us recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for our commitment to outstanding client service and client success.

We understand that the best outcomes are often achieved amicably, where positive relationships remain long after your need for us had ended, so all of our Bristol lawyers are members of Resolution; a network of legal experts who are committed to promoting a constructive approach to dispute resolution that focuses on meeting the needs of the whole family and achieving a positive outcome.

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