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Helping you to find clarity in difficult times

We’re one of the UK’s largest family law firms with a team of expert family law solicitors in Leeds, serving clients in the city and throughout West Yorkshire. Our expert family law advice has helped many clients in various situations, such as child arrangement orders, private children matters, financial disputes or the general divorce process. We give expert guidance on getting divorced and ending civil partnerships, all while protecting children and family finances. We have offices in Leeds, as well as across West Yorkshire, including Wetherby, Ilkley and Huddersfield. 

Our family law services in Leeds

Divorce and separation

Our Leeds divorce lawyers have over 30 years of experience in guiding couples through their divorce or civil partnership dissolution – from initial advice through to final orders, you’re in safe hands with us. 

Pre and postnuptial agreements

Did you know our lawyers can draft a postnuptial agreement as well as a prenuptial contract? No matter your situation, we can help to draft legally sound agreements that will be upheld in court to protect your assets.  

Financial settlements 

Senior Partner, Julian Hawkhead is a specialist accredited member of Resolution in Advanced Financial Provision, with experience in business and trust structures. We can advise on complex financial cases, and our lawyers work closely with our forensic accountants to ensure you get the best financial outcome. 

Child arrangements 

Expert help in resolving child arrangement issues with care and sensitivity. Katie Kilburn works on children’s law cases, such as child arrangement orders, rights for grandparents, and relocation cases.

Fertility law

We advise on all types of fertility law, including surrogacy, adoption, assisted reproduction, donor conception and LGBTQ+ parenting. 

Cohabitation agreements

A living together agreement can provide protection for couples who live together but aren’t married.   

Domestic abuse support

You need a domestic violence solicitor you can trust – our Leeds family law solicitors are the people you’re looking for.  

Family lawyers in Leeds

Julian
Hawkhead
Senior Partner
Rachel
Roberts
Regional Director, Midlands and North
Katie
Kilburn
Team Leader Partner, Leeds
Shanika
Haynes
Team Leader Partner
Angela
Sussens
Partner, Leeds
Charlotte
Newman
Partner, Leeds
Cheryl
Grace
Partner, Leeds
Jennifer
Reddy
Partner, Altrincham & Knutsford
Hannah
Ross
Senior Associate, Leeds
Heidi
Susan Fleming
Senior Associate, Leeds
 
Sarah
Sowden
Senior Associate, Leeds
Rachael
Wilson
Associate, Leeds
Chloe
Flynn
Solicitor, Leeds
Holly-Rose
Wright
Solicitor, Leeds
Becca
Reynolds
Solicitor, North West
Zoe
Cross
Solicitor, Leeds
Tamara
McGaughey
Trainee solicitor, North West
Jo
Childs
Regional Team Leader (North & Yorkshire)
Katie
Radford-Haigh
Legal Assistant, Leeds
Maariyaah
Zamir
Legal Assistant, Leeds
Michelle
Richardson
Legal Assistant

Office address

Clockwise
Yorkshire House
Greek Street
Leeds
LS1 5SH

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More local offices

Across our Yorkshire offices, our family law experts are here to assist you with all areas of family law, including child custody, grandparents’ rights and mediation matters. Our team of highly experienced lawyers is commited to providing personalised and dedicated support to our clients. We ensure you receive the guidance needed at every step of the legal process.

How to find our Leeds office

Our Leeds office is located in Clockwise, Yorkshire House on Greek Street in the city centre. It is a stone’s throw from the Leeds civic, commercial and retail centres, as well as the courts. 

Greek Street is on the Leeds City Loop which offers access to most major routes entering and exiting Leeds. 

Street parking is available near the office, although it tends to be very busy. There is a multi storey car parking in The Light car park which is close to the office. Please note that Greek Street itself is pedestrian only.

Accessibility is important to us. Our office has access to lifts at the front and the side entrances. 

Our phone lines are open from 8:30am – 7pm, Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday 

We offer an award-winning service

Family law support in Leeds 

As one of the largest family law offices in Leeds, you can be assured your case will be handled with expert knowledge and care, no matter how complex your situation may be. Led by Regional Director, Rachel Roberts and Managing Partner Nastassia Burton, the team in Leeds have a breadth of experience in all areas of family law with a particular focus on resolving complex financial matters and children arrangements and protection during a divorce or separation. Our team can also support with civil partnership dissolution, cohabitation agreements, sensitive cases including domestic abuse, as well as adoption and fertility law. To hear more about what our clients think about us and our approach, watch our video here. 

Award-winning divorce lawyers in Leeds 

We are here to assist with your relationship breakdown. We deliver a very professional service for our clients and provide a trusting relationship as we understand that divorce proceedings and family disputes can be painful for the whole family. Our invaluable advice and care is provided by a team of extremely knowledgeable divorce lawyers. Our clients include a broad range of families in Leeds and the surrounding areas from high-net-worth individuals to local professionals with more straightforward cases. 

Many of them have complicated enterprises, pension and trust arrangements, inherited or abroad holdings, and may be well-known. We combine our legal expertise with a human approach and client concern. We will work hard to reach an out-of-court settlement. If this is not possible, we have extensive litigation experience and can help you get a fair conclusion.

Our all-encompassing approach encourages out-of-court settlements to prevent needless “suffering,” but we recognise that litigation is occasionally unavoidable and employ a strong and powerful strategy to get the results you require. Our Leeds lawyers are excellent litigators, but we first encourage communication between spouses. We will advise you on amicable approaches, including our out of court divorce services, mediation, lawyer-led negotiations, one couple one lawyer and arbitration. In fact 80% of our divorces are settled out of court. 

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Protecting your financial position 

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 and final financial settlement while protecting your assets, our divorce settlement lawyers and forensic accounting team can help you. We work in partnership with our accountants to ensure that your financial assets are completely protected and to ensure that the final financial settlement is in everyone’s best interests. We also provide wealth protection including prenups and postnups. Whether you’re concerned about dispute resolution or civil partnership issues, our family law solicitors have your back every step of the way. 

The divorce process

Application

One or both spouses submit a divorce application to the court using the HMCTS Portal, citing irretrievable breakdown of the marriage without assigning blame.
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20-week reflection period

After the application is filed, and your former spouse has responded to the petition, a mandatory 20-week reflection period begins. During this time, spouses may also exchange financial information using Form E and address any necessary child arrangements, including including the time your children spend with you both.

Conditional order

After the reflection period, the applicant(s) apply for a Conditional order (previously known as Decree Nisi). The court reviews the case and, if satisfied, grants the order.
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6-week waiting period

Following the Conditional order, there is a mandatory 6-week waiting period before the final step can be taken.

Final order

After the 6-week waiting period, the applicant(s) may apply for the Final Order (previously known as Decree Absolute), officially ending the marriage.
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Average 9-12 months

If more than 12 months have elapsed between obtaining your conditional order and applying for your final order, you will have to submit a short statement to support your application, explaining the delay.

Why choose Stowe Family Law in Leeds?

  • Led by a senior team of lawyers recognised for their work on complex cases in West Yorkshire 
  • Winners of the Family Law Award at the Yorkshire Legal Awards in 2021 
  • Legal 500: “Stowe Family Law has an excellent reputation across Yorkshire and is highly regarded by clients and peers alike” 
  • Our Leeds divorce lawyers handle family law cases with empathy and care 

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More about us – divorce solicitors Leeds

More about us – divorce solicitors Leeds

  • How to find our Leeds office

    If you’re looking for family lawyer near you, our office is located in Clockwise, Yorkshire House on Greek Street in the city centre. It is a stone’s throw from the Leeds civic, commercial and retail centres, as well as the courts.

    Greek Street is on the Leeds City Loop which offers access to most major routes entering and exiting Leeds.

    Street parking is available near the office, although it tends to be very busy. There is a multi storey car parking in The Light car park which is close to the office. Please note that Greek Street itself is pedestrian only.

    Our phone lines are open from 8:30am – 7pm, Monday to Friday

    and 9am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday

  • Our family law and divorce expertise

    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.

    The divorce process can be difficult to navigate, and for many it can cause a sense of anxiety and confusion; which is why we take great care to outline the emotional, practical and legal challenges that lie ahead whilst providing practical next steps so that you can move forward to achieve the outcome you need.

    We can provide guidance on completing the divorce application, through to negotiating financial settlements and child custody (child arrangement orders).

    We are also able to guide you through the mediation process, and have qualified collaborative lawyers. We’re based in offices at Clockwise, Yorkshire House on Greek Street in the city centre (LS1) so we’re well placed to help you if you’re looking for solicitors in Leeds.

  • Starting a divorce application

    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.

  • Responding to a divorce application

    If you’ve been served with a divorce application and named as the respondent, it’s sometimes unclear as to how you should respond; you’ll be presented with a lot of legal wording and expressions that do more to create frustration than they do to provide clarity. Our Leeds divorce lawyers can help you to respond to a divorce application while preparing you to get the best possible outcome for you, and for your family.

  • Child law and child solicitors

    Child custody lawyers and arrangements for children 

    Of all the challenges arising from a divorce, we find that working out the arrangements for the children (often described as child custody but legally termed as child arrangements) are often the most emotive and difficult. While child custody can be a contentious issue, it is in the best interests of your children to reach an amicable agreement with your ex-partner wherever possible. During this time, having the support of a child custody lawyer and child law specialist in your corner can be helpful in providing guidance on what a fair and workable arrangement might look like for you and your family. Our expert child solicitors have extensive experience in child arrangements and will have seen a variety of solutions to suit every situation, no matter how specific or unusual. Our goal is to get the best outcome for your children and to help you to maintain a positive relationship with your ex-partner wherever you can.

  • Child adoption lawyers

    Adoption is a substantial step for any adult or child to take. Once complete, the adopted person is treated by law as though they were born of the adoptive parent – giving that parent full parental rights and responsibility of the adopted child. Adoption law is complex and can be tough to navigate alone, so getting advice early on from a specialist adoption lawyer can help you to make progress more quickly. Whether you’re looking for help with growing your family, or if you’re a step-parent and wish to blend your families, we can help.

  • Surrogacy lawyers and solicitors

    Surrogacy is a wonderful way of starting a family for those who are not able to do so naturally for whatever reason. When a child is born through surrogacy, the surrogate mother and potentially her husband automatically have rights and responsibilities for the child so legal proceedings need to be pursued in order to transfer those rights to the intended parents who will then be recognised as the child’s parents in the eyes of the law. There are many potential pitfalls along the way, so getting legal advice from a reputable surrogacy solicitor at an early stage is important in ensuring that these are avoided and the process runs smoothly. We would be delighted to help you on your journey.

  • Divorce finances & financial settlements in divorce

    After years of marriage, one of the most difficult areas to unpick can be your finances. Each marriage is unique, and this is often reflected in the way you’ve jointly managed your money, assets and investments. Trying to separate your financial ties in a way that feels fair to you can feel like an overwhelming task, and there are often complex financial issues that will need to be considered and resolved. Divorce settlements can cover everything from pensions, to investments, the family home, and even assets you owned before you got married (pre-marital assets); 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.

    In some cases, you may be worried that your spouse might try to hide their assets, or that they might find ways to downplay the value of what they own. Sometimes this involves diverting their income to other places, divesting themselves of their assets and/or transferring their property to other people. If this is a worry, you should seek our help right away, as measures such as freezing orders may be possible to prevent or undo this type of conduct to protect assets until an overall settlement is reached or ordered by the Court.

    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 and final financial settlement while protecting your assets, our divorce settlement lawyers and forensic accounting team can help you.

  • Why choose Stowe Family Law solicitors in Leeds?

    Our expert divorce solicitors and family law team have decades of experience, as well as access to hundreds of years 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 persist long after your need for our help has ended, so the majority of our Leeds lawyers are members of Resolution; a body of family lawyers 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.

    Clients frequently cite our compassion, empathy and our ability to deliver the ‘hard facts’ and clear legal advice they need to move forward with their case, and their lives. To hear more about what our clients think about us and our approach, watch our video here.

    Whether you need support in handling a divorce, child arrangements, or complex financial matters after a marriage has ended, your team of family law solicitors have the skills and expertise to support you.

  • News about our family solicitors in Leeds

Show Transcript

When I do becomes I don’t, our team of trusted divorce lawyers in Leeds are by your side.

Whether you are facing divorce, dissolving a civil partnership, dealing with financial matters, need a child arrangements order or a cohabitation agreement…

Our experienced Leeds family solicitors will guide you through the process with care and empathy, so you can move forward in life from a position of renewed strength. ​

With family lawyers in Leeds and across West Yorkshire, we are the UK’s largest specialist family law firm, and first choice for a solicitor for divorce in the area.

Rachel has been with the firm for over 17 years and as Regional Director in the North, heads up the Yorkshire team across Beverley, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Ilkley, Leeds, Sheffield, Wetherby and York. Known for her caring and compassionate approach, she builds an excellent rapport with clients, leaving them feeling confident and reassured as she guides them to the right outcome for them.

Date last reviewed: 24/06/2024

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