Family Law Solicitors

At MPR Solicitors, our family law team are dedicated to providing positive, non-confrontational family law service to our clients.  We are committed to helping families resolve disputes outside of court wherever possible.  Our family law team understand the emotional distress that can come with family breakdown and we provide sensitive, empathetic service, putting your wishes and the needs of any children at the forefront of what we do.

To contact our family law solicitors, please call our office on 020 3824 8080 to make an appointment at our central London or Hounslow office.

We have years of experience dealing with all types of family law matters, including high-net-worth divorce.  All your dealings with us will be in complete confidence.  If you need advice from other professionals such as accountants, wealth managers, real estate agents and valuers, we can recommend highly-experienced options to you, so you can access the support needed to move forward after a relationship breakdown.

At MPR Solicitors, we have experience and a wealth of knowledge of dealing with all family law matters, including:

• Mediation
• Children
• Divorce and Relationship Breakdown
• Financial Settlements
• Pre-nuptial agreements
• Civil Partnerships

Divorce and relationship breakdown

If your relationship has broken down or you are facing divorce, our family law solicitors will guide you through the process and take care of the best interests of you and your children.

Under UK law, the person who files for divorce (known as the petitioner) must prove the relationship has irretrievably broken down on the grounds of:

• adultery
• unreasonable behaviour
• desertion
• separation of two years (with the consent of the other party)
• separation of five years (no consent required)

It is very rare for a party to try and defend a divorce and such a defence, if brought, is unlikely to be successful.  Whether you are the petitioner or the respondent, we will advise, support and represent you through the divorce process, ensuring your best interests are protected.

Financial settlements

Working out a fair financial settlement following a divorce can be the cause of many disputes.  Based in London, which is known as the divorce capital of the world, thanks to the generosity that English judges have historically shown wives in high-net-worth divorces, we have a wealth of experience securing our clients the financial settlement they were seeking.  If you believe your spouse is hiding assets, we can work with forensic accountants to uncover your spouse’s true net-worth.  If your matter does reach court, we will ensure your contributions to the marriage, whether financial or domestic, are understood by the judge making the financial order.

Children

Under English family law, the welfare of children is paramount.  We encourage clients to consider their decisions in light of the short and long term effects they may have on their children.  Our family law teamwork with parents, helping them to make arrangements for their children in a non-confrontational manner.  We also provide expert advice and representation in cases of parental child abduction (to both Hague and non-Hague Convention countries) and internal and international relocation.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

The family law system in the UK is designed to encourage families to work out disputes between themselves.  Our family law team fully support this ethos and use methods such as round-table negotiation and mediation as alternative dispute resolution methods.  However, if litigation proves inevitable, or non-court dispute resolution methods are not appropriate (for example, in cases involving domestic violence and abuse), we can robustly represent you in court.

Mediation

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method regularly used in family law.  It is generally far cheaper and quicker to settle disagreements regarding finances and children through mediation than formal litigation.

Prior to making an application to attend court, couples must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) with a trained Mediator to see if mediation can help them resolve their dispute (there are some exceptions to this rule). 

At MPR Solicitors, our family law team will work with you during mediation, ensuring you are confident in stating your needs and feel supported throughout the process.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of their economic and social circumstances.  Our priority in domestic violence cases is the safety of you and your children.  We can assist you to obtain emergency non-molestation and occupation orders, without notifying the person who is abusing you, if required.

If domestic violence or abuse is present in a relationship, you may be exempted from having to attend a MIAM.  We will ensure you are not forced to partake in a MIAM if you feel intimidated or unsafe.

International family law

We regularly advise high-net-worth and international families on matters such as divorce, relocation, and parental child abduction.  Our family law team also has the experience required to ensure divorce proceedings take place in the UK if this is your country of choice.  If assets are being held offshore, we can have them tracked and valued, so your spouse’s true net worth is established for the purposes of negotiating a financial settlement.

Adoption

At MPR Solicitors, we regularly work with families and local authorities to advise them on domestic and international adoption matters.  In cases of international adoption, from non-listed or non-Hague Convention countries, not only can we advise on having the adoption recognised in the UK, we can liaise with immigration solicitors to ensure the adopted child obtains entry clearance and British Citizenship.

Pre-and post-nuptial agreements

If you require a pre-or post-nuptial agreement to be drafted, or you need to seek independent legal advice on the consequences of a document you are being asked to sign, our family law solicitors can assist.  Although pre-and post-nuptial agreements are not legally binding, the court uphold them if certain safeguards are met, so it is imperative that they are taken seriously, and legal advice obtained.

Civil Partnerships

We advise on all aspects of civil partnerships, from registration to dissolution.  Although the law governing civil partnerships is similar to marriage, there are key differences.  We will advise you on these and represent you in negotiations, mediation, and if required, court.

To find out more about our family law services, please call us on 020 3824 8080 (*please note that we do not offer any of our family law services on legal aid) or fill in our contact form to get in touch.