Money should never be a weapon in a relationship. Yet, for thousands of people across the UK, financial control becomes a silent but devastating form of domestic violence. This control strips away independence, trapping individuals in unsafe environments simply because they cannot afford to leave.
Family Law
Can You Change the Locks During Separation?
Going through a separation brings a heavy emotional toll. As you untangle your shared life, the spaces you once shared can suddenly feel fraught with tension. When communication breaks down, or when tensions run particularly high, you might feel a strong urge to protect your space. For many, the immediate reaction is to call a locksmith and change the locks on the matrimonial home.
Divorce is Finalised: 5 Steps to Your Financial Recovery
Holding the Decree Absolute (or Final Order) in your hand brings a complex mix of emotions. There is often relief that the legal battle is over, mixed with the exhaustion of the process. It is natural to want to close the filing cabinet on this chapter of your life...
Navigating Non-Matrimonial Assets in Divorce Settlements: Insights from the Standish v Standish Case
In the recent case of Standish v Standish, the court ordered a huge reduction in the wife’s award of £45 million to £25 million on the basis of the husbands contribution to the marriage with assets he owned before the parties relationship. Does this mean that in every...
Cheat’s Charter or Human Right?
The rules on using private information in divorce proceedings In financial proceedings in divorce in England and Wales, there is an absolute rule of comprehensive and ongoing disclosure of finances so that it is possible to negotiate a settlement or make an order...
Why do I have to pay my divorce solicitor when the marriage breakdown is all my spouse’s fault ?
Sarah was shocked to discover that her husband had been having an affair, with an entirely separate family with children, while he was away on business. She felt betrayed and angry - all the more so when her divorce lawyer explained that she would have to pay their...
The Art of Negotiation – Turning Court Proceedings into Constructive Solutions
#3 in a series of commentaries from the family law Courtroom. No names obviously, but a focus on the mechanics of many cases, which illustrate the many “routes to goal” available to the experienced family lawyer, seeking the most efficient and economic solution for...
Unveiling International Assets: A Family Law Courtroom Tale of Cross-Border Asset Recovery
#2 in a series of commentaries from the family law Courtroom. No names obviously, but a focus on the mechanics of many cases, which makes this experienced family lawyer despair of the system. SCENARIO: Husband holds assets abroad? All is not lost! In one recent case,...
Family Law Courtroom Chronicles: The Reality of Financial Orders in Divorce
#1 in a series of commentaries from the family law Courtroom. No names obviously, but a focus on the mechanics of many cases, which makes this experienced family lawyer despair of the system. FACT: Judges base their financial orders after a long marriage on the...