Our divorce and family law services in Manchester
Divorce law
Relationship breakdown is never easy, particularly after many years when you have built a life together. There are so many important practical aspects to arrange, from what should happen to the family home to where any children will live.
Seeking advice from the right solicitor can help smooth the transition from married life to divorce. Our friendly divorce solicitors in Manchester can provide all the advice you need to guide you through your divorce or civil partnership dissolution. We will handle all legal aspects on your behalf, including:
- Making the divorce or civil partnership dissolution application, or responding to an application
- Guiding you through each step, from the Conditional Order to the Final Order
- Helping you negotiate a financial settlement with your former partner
- Helping you agree arrangements for any children with your former partner
Our divorce solicitors have particular expertise in LGBT+ divorce, international divorce and high net worth divorce.
Several of our team are trained in forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation and collaborative law. This means that we can help you keep conflict out of the process wherever possible, these out of court processes can often save money and time.
Where it is not possible to keep your case out of court, we can support you to make arrangements for your finances and any children, via the appropriate court orders.
To learn more about how we could support you, please contact our divorce solicitors in Manchester.
Divorce and finances
Our divorce solicitors in Manchester can offer expert support with divorce and finances, assisting you to protect your finances and work towards the best solution in the circumstances.
Our legal assistance includes all types of divorce and finance matters, including:
- Reaching a voluntary financial settlement out of Court where possible
- Obtaining a Financial Order if necessary
- Obtaining a Clean Break Order, to protect your finances now and in the future
- Specialist advice related to divorce and pensions
- Support through Court proceedings where the situation requires this
To learn more about how we could support you with your finances, please contact our divorce solicitors in Manchester.
Children law
Children are particularly vulnerable to stress and emotional pain during a relationship breakdown and other family issues. As well as watching their parents or family members separate, they may have to move home, move schools and have less contact with one parent.
Our child law solicitors understand that the wellbeing of your children will be one of your primary concerns. We can offer friendly, sympathetic advice and help you explore all possible options so you can make an informed choice about the best way forward for you and your children.
Several of our team are trained in collaborative law and can also help you access mediation, assisting to resolve matters out of court wherever possible.
As well as child arrangements upon divorce or dissolution, our family law solicitors in Manchester can assist with all children related family law matters, including:
- Adoption
- Surrogacy
- Parental responsibility
Cohabitation agreements
Many couples choose to live together without ever getting married or entering into a civil partnership. However, few couples realise that they do not have the same rights as married couples or civil partners.
Cohabitating couples often have entangled finances and child arrangements just as married couples do, and where cohabiting couples break up, these matters can often be the source of disputes.
Cohabitating couples are advised to consider entering into a cohabitation agreement, also known as a living-together agreement, in order to protect their financial interests.
A cohabitation agreement sets out exactly who owns what in your relationship and how your finances should be arranged and divided if you ever break up. A well drafted cohabitation agreement could help you avoid expensive and uncomfortable legal proceedings down the line.
Our family law solicitors can draft a comprehensive cohabitation agreement on your behalf that clearly sets out your financial position and protects your interests.
To discuss this option today, contact our family law solicitors in Manchester.
Pre-nuptial agreements
Getting married or entering into a civil partnership effectively combines your finances into one matrimonial ‘pot’. This means that if you get a divorce or dissolution, all your finances must be taken into account and divided fairly between the couple, even income and assets owned in sole names.
However, many people enter into marriage or civil partnerships with assets they want to protect. For instance, those who get married later in life or have former spouses and children from previous relationships. Business owners or people with a high net worth may also be concerned about the impact of a divorce or dissolution.
Our expert family law solicitors in Manchester can help you draft a pre-nuptial agreement with your partner that sets out exactly who owns what and how your finances should be divided if you ever break up. We focus on cooperative discussion and defusing any potential for conflict, so there is no need to worry about any negative effect on your relationship.
We can also provide advice and support with post-nuptial agreements which are the same as prenups but entered into after marriage.
Family dispute resolution
Family disputes can quickly become bitter and expensive, particularly where children or finances are concerned. Our solicitors are experts in alternative family dispute resolution. Our goal is to help families find positive solutions to family law issues without prolonged conflict or expensive court proceedings.
Our team includes several trained collaborative lawyers and mediation specialists. Both of these methods have a strong track record for helping families resolve disputes amicably. Such methods can save time and money, as well as prevent the stress of going to court.
To discuss how we can help you with family dispute resolution, please get in touch with our specialist family law solicitors in Manchester.
LGBT+ family law
We have specialist expertise advising LGBT+ individuals and couples with all types of family law issues. Our service includes:
- Divorce
- Dissolution
- Cohabitation and separation
- Parenting issues, including adoption, surrogacy and artificial insemination
No matter which area of the law you require assistance with, our expert team can support you. We approach every matter with sensitivity, always basing our guidance on an understanding of your requirements.
Fertility law
At Crisp and Co, our expert family law solicitors in Manchester can help clients with a range of fertility law matters. The specific areas that we can support you with include:
- Legal guidance on surrogacy law and support to create surrogacy agreements
- Assistance to access a Parental Order, (for surrogate parents)
- Legal advice concerning assisted reproduction and artificial insemination, including IVF, IUI and donor insemination
Domestic violence
Experiencing domestic violence is both frightening and traumatic, and we understand that it’s not always easy to reach out for help. Regardless, getting the support that you need is paramount, to ensure your own safety, as well as that of any children.
There is legal protection available for any individual affected by domestic abuse, whether it is physical, verbal, emotional, financial or sexual. We know that it can be hard to recognise an abusive situation, particularly if abusive behaviours have developed over many months or years. We will always take your situation seriously and treat you with respect and understanding.
There are various legal protections that we can put in place to safeguard those experiencing domestic abuse, these include:
- Non Molestation Orders
- Occupation Orders
- Prohibited Steps Orders
If these are your circumstances and you need help, please get in touch with our specialist family law solicitors in Manchester today.
Local resources for divorce and family law in Manchester
Manchester Civil Justice Centre
The Manchester Civil Justice Centre hears a range of family cases, including:
- Adoption
- Children
- Divorce
- Domestic violence
- Forced marriage and FGM
The Greater Manchester Domestic Abuse Helpline
Tel: 0161 549 1087
Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, except bank holidays
Includes a language service and advice for the LGBT+ community.
For a full list of local domestic violence support services, with contact details, visit the Greater Manchester Police website or the Manchester City Council website.
How to find our divorce and family law solicitors in Manchester
How to reach us by car
The closest car park to our legal office is the Manchester China Town, APCOA car- park. A short 7-minute walk from our office.
How to reach us by bus
The closest bus stop to our Manchester office is on St James Square, a 3-minute walk from our office, served by buses 35, 36, 37, 38, 50, 51, V1, V2 and V4.
How to reach us by train
There are several train stations close to our Manchester office, Salford Central is an 11 minute walk from our office. Manchester Oxford Road Station is a 15-minute walk away, and Manchester Piccadilly, is approximately a 16-minute walk.
Plan your journey
You can plan your visit to our Manchester office here.
Accessibility
At Crisp & Co, we are dedicated to ensuring that our legal services are as accessible as possible. Please let us know if you have any specific disability requirements, and we will do our very best to accommodate your needs.
Book an appointment with our divorce and family law solicitors in Manchester
You can arrange an appointment to discuss your requirements or request a quote by calling us on 0161 549 1087, emailing enquiry@stowefamilylaw.co.uk or using the enquiry form below to request a call back.
