The first thing to do is to come and see an expert divorce and separation lawyer. We can guide you through what you need to think about, what steps you need to take and how best to resolve the issues that arise in your particular case.

Decisions will need to be made about:

1. Who will start divorce proceedings, when and on what basis? It is a good idea to try and reach agreement on these matters with your partner once you have taken legal advice since this will hopefully enable you to avoid the acrimony and expense of defended divorce proceedings.


2. Who will the children live with and what time will they spend with the other person at weekends, during the week, during school holidays and on special occasions?


3. The finances: Who will live in the home or does this need to be sold? If it needs to be sold, how should the sale proceeds be divided? Will there need to be ongoing maintenance? Are there other assets such as businesses, investments or pensions that need to be considered and divided?


4. How is it best to resolve all of these issues? Is mediation suitable for your case or would you rather instruct Birkett Long to deal with the negotiations on your behalf? If so, would a collaborative approach or informal round table meetings be suitable for your case?

For a free initial chat with a specialist divorce and separation lawyer, without any obligation to take things further, please contact Francesca Cozens on 01206 204066 or email francesca.cozens@birkettlong.co.uk.