Getting the best family law outcomes for Southampton clients
Many people in Southampton and across Hampshire are assisted by the skilled and committed family lawyers at Stowe Family Law in matters such as dispute resolution, divisions of joint accounts and child support.
The Southampton family law team, led by Team Leader Partner Liza Gatrell, is committed to providing clients the best legal representation.
Whether you are going through a difficult separation, resolving financial matters as a result of divorce, or finding it difficult to co-parent, our skilled family lawyers will provide you with the comfort and peace of mind you need.
Using collaborative law to settle divorce-related issues
A collaborative divorce strategy can be helpful when an amicable couple struggles to come to terms with separation-related issues like money, property, and children.
The client is the focal point of the collaborative divorce approach. It focuses on working through issues to achieve the right solution for the whole family, while avoiding the need for family court intervention.
It differs from mediation, in that during the collaborative law approach each party is joined by a collaborate lawyer at all meetings to ensure they receive legal counsel. Other professionals, such as financial advisors, auditors, and valuers, may also be brought in.
Ensuring sessions in-person discussions between the teams of the parties work together to settle disagreements in a way that is mutually favourable.
A collaborative divorce typically uses a more relaxed and adaptable process which helps many couples avoid the stress and expense of the family court system.
Our collaborative lawyers help clients in Hampshire use this approach to reach a fair and amicable divorce agreement.
Dealing with the division of joint accounts
The team in Southampton regularly advises clients on how to manage the division of joint accounts as part of the wider financial settlement process during divorce.
They assisted a client who had been married for ten years, in one particular case. The couple had managed their finances through a joint account during their marriage. Both parties made deposits into the account with their earnings, using those funds to cover their living expenses.
The account had a substantial amount of money in it at the time of separation. Both parties agreed that the money in the joint account would be used to cover any final debts or outstanding payments the couple owed, and anything remaining would be split. This was negotiated as part of a larger financial agreement.
With the help of our Southampton solicitors the couple quickly reached an agreement on their financial settlement, avoiding any conflict or disputes. This was then turned into a legally binding consent order.
When child support payments are missed
More commonly referred to as child maintenance, child support is an ongoing payment to help cover a child’s living costs when one of the parents does not live with the child, typically after divorce or separation.
Child support can be agreed between parents without legal intervention. However, this is not always possible, particularly when the relationship between a child’s parents is strained.
The Southampton team recently assisted a mother who was pursuing an ongoing claim against the father of her three young children for unpaid child maintenance.
The agreed child maintenance payments were frequently being skipped or the incorrect amount being paid, which was causing financial stress and difficulty for the mother.
Stowe assisted the client by putting her in contact with the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), a government-run body that helps parents calculate and establish child maintenance arrangements and payments.
The agency calculated the proper payment amount, informed the father, and completed the required preparations for a recurring monthly payment.
The mother now routinely receives appropriate child support. There has also been an improvement in the father’s reliability, which has improved their relationship and ability to co-parent the children.
Contact Stowe Family Law Southampton today
With more than 70 offices across England and Wales, Stowe Family Law is the biggest family law practice in the UK.
The Southampton office in Hampshire offers legal advice to clients who are coping with the issues brought about by divorce, civil partnership dissolution, and relationship breakdown.
The divorce lawyers at Stowe Family Law's Southampton office, including Partner Vicki Rawlins and Senior Associate Laura George can help you navigate family law complexities to help you and your family move forward from a position of strength.
So, if you need the best family law advice Southampton has to offer, contact Stowe Family Law today, request a free call back or call us at 0238 251 3556. Our Southampton family solicitors office is located at 21 Carlton Cres, Southampton SO15 2ET.