Specialist Family and Divorce Solicitors
Dealing with a divorce or separation is never easy. Having the right legal advice and support is crucial to ensure that your interests are protected and that you and your family secure the outcome you need.
At Crisp & Co, we deal solely with family law and offer a full range of services. We understand that this is likely to be a difficult time for you and you will find our Wandsworth family solicitors to be sympathetic and understanding.
We have many years of experience in supporting individuals through divorce and separation. We will work with you to establish what help you require and provide a bespoke service, tailored to your requirements.
Contact our Wandsworth divorce and family law solicitors for a free one-hour initial consultation by calling 0330 013 0381 or fill in our online enquiry form.
Our divorce and family law services in Wandsworth
Click on the links below to find out more about our family law and divorce services in Wandsworth:
- Divorce
- Civil partnership dissolution
- Relationship breakdown and separation
- Cohabitation agreements (also known as living together agreements)
- Financial settlements
- Pre-nuptial agreements
- Pre-civil partnership agreements
- Children law
- LGBT+ family law
- Adoption, surrogacy and artificial insemination
- International divorce
- Domestic violence
- Family dispute resolution (including mediation and collaborative law)
- Family court proceedings
Divorce solicitors and civil partnership dissolution solicitors
If you are thinking of divorcing or dissolving your civil partnership, we can deal with the legal process on your behalf. You will often need to tackle other issues at the same time, such as putting a financial agreement in place or making arrangements for children.
We can advise you of any matters that need to be addressed before a divorce or dissolution is completed and represent you in dealing with these. We can also apply to the court for a divorce or dissolution on your behalf.
Our divorce services include:
- Applying to the court for a divorce or civil partnership dissolution
- Putting a binding financial agreement in place dealing with the division of your assets
- Negotiating arrangements for children, to include dealing with issues such as residence and contact
- Spousal maintenance
- Child maintenance
As an exclusive family law firm, we have the expertise to deal with complex and high net worth divorce and dissolution. We also represent clients across a range of niche areas such as LGBT+ divorce, international divorce and military and army divorce.
Relationship breakdown and separation solicitors
If you are separating, but you do not currently want to go through a divorce, we can advise you on putting a separation on a formal footing. Our separation solicitors in Wandsworth can draft and negotiate a separation agreement setting out how a range of issues will be dealt with. This can help avoid misunderstandings and disputes and give you a level of certainty for the future. Areas covered in a separation agreement usually include who will live in a jointly owned home, who will pay the mortgage and other household bills and how debts and assets will be shared.
Cohabitation solicitors
As a cohabitee, you will have far fewer rights than if you were married. If you are cohabiting or thinking of moving in with your partner, a cohabitation agreement can help protect your financial interests. Our cohabitation solicitors in Wandsworth can work with you to put together a robust agreement, setting out what should happen if your relationship ends. Issues commonly dealt with include:
- Who owns which assets
- How a jointly owned property will be dealt with
- Who will be responsible for paying bills and other liabilities
We can also advise and represent you during a separation in respect of contentious matters such as division of assets, arrangements for children and property rights.
Financial settlements
If you are divorcing or dissolving your civil partnership, it is essential to deal with financial matters at the same time. Without a binding financial settlement in place, your former partner could potentially make a claim against your future assets.
Our financial settlement solicitors in Wandsworth can negotiate on your behalf to secure the best possible agreement, even in strongly contested cases. Where necessary, we can work with you through alternative dispute resolution to try and agree on the right settlement. Where this is not possible, we will prepare a robust case for hearing by the family courts.
We have a high level of expertise in obtaining strong financial settlements. Our services include:
- Preparing full disclosure of assets and ensuring that the other side fully discloses all assets
- Dealing with pensions in divorce or dissolution
- Splitting the matrimonial home on divorce or dissolution
- Trusts advice on divorce or dissolution
- Advice on dealing with a company during divorce or dissolution
- Negotiating and drafting a financial settlement
- Support and representation in mediation or collaborative law
- Preparing a case for court where necessary
- Asking the court for Freezing Orders and Injunctions
- Engaging forensic accountants where necessary
Pre-nuptial agreement solicitors and pre-civil partnership agreement solicitors
Pre-nuptial agreements and pre-civil partnership agreements are a good way to start a relationship on an open and honest footing. By agreeing at the outset who will be responsible for debts and who will have assets should you separate, you can avoid misunderstandings and disputes in the future.
This can be particularly important if you have children from a previous relationship or you have assets that you would like to protect, for example, inherited money.
Our pre-nuptial solicitors in Wandsworth can discuss the contents of an agreement with you and, where necessary, negotiate on your behalf. We also provide independent legal advice if you have been asked to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Our services include:
- Pre-nuptial agreements
- Post-nuptial agreements
- Pre-civil partnership agreements
- Post-civil partnership agreements
Children law
Making new arrangements for children during a divorce or separation is never easy. We can work with you to put an agreement in place that will set out where they will live and how much time they will spend with each parent.
We always aim to deal with matters with as little conflict as possible and our trained family solicitors have a high level of experience in resolving matters amicably. Where necessary, we can work with you through mediation to secure the best possible agreement for your family.
Where a dispute arises, for example, over education, moving away with a child or making healthcare decisions, we can represent you in seeking a court order.
Services provided by our Wandsworth children solicitors include:
- Negotiating new arrangements for children on your behalf
- Agreeing child maintenance payments
- Court applications, including for:
- Child Arrangements Orders
- Specific Issue Orders
- Prohibited Steps Orders
- International child law, to include taking a child overseas
- Advice and representation in respect of adoption, surrogacy and egg/sperm/embryo donation
- Grandparents' rights
- Protecting children in domestic violence cases
LGBT+ family law
We provide expert advice in areas of particular interest to the LGBT+ community, including in respect of children. Our LGBT+ solicitors in Wandsworth cover all legal aspects of LGBT+ family life, including:
- Same sex parenting
- LGBT+ divorce and civil partnership dissolution
- Adoption, surrogacy and egg/sperm/embryo donation
- Same sex pre-nuptial agreements
Adoption, surrogacy and fertility law
If you are adding to your family by way of adoption, surrogacy or fertility treatment, you need to make sure you have a solid legal foundation. We routinely advise and represent families in this complex area of law, providing guidance and support as well as legal expertise. Our Wandsworth fertility law solicitors also deal with all related issues, such as parental rights and parental responsibility.
International divorce
If there is an international element to your divorce or dissolution, you will need a solicitor with expertise in this area of law as it can be exceptionally complicated. Our Wandsworth international divorce solicitors have represented clients across the globe in dealing with divorce, separation and issues relating to children and assets. We offer a full international divorce service, including:
- Representation for overseas citizens seeking a divorce in the UK courts
- Divorce advice and representation for non-UK nationals or the spouses or partners of non-UK nationals
- Advice if you were married overseas
- International parenting matters, including arrangements for children and representing parents where there is a risk of children being taken overseas
- Child maintenance and spousal maintenance in overseas divorce and separation cases
Domestic violence
If you have been a victim of domestic abuse, including domestic violence, emotional or psychological abuse or coercive control, we can provide the expert help you need. We have a high level of understanding of abusive situations and you will find our Wandsworth domestic violence solicitors to be sensitive and approachable.
We know how to protect you and we will take urgent steps to ensure you and your children are safe. If you have been harmed, threatened, controlled or psychologically or physically abused, call us now. Our domestic abuse services include:
- Advice and representation in respect of domestic violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and tech abuse
- Obtaining Injunctions or Non-Molestation Orders to include emergency injunctions where needed
- Obtaining Occupation Orders
- Obtaining Forced Marriage Protection Orders
- Advice, representation and protection if you are the victim of coercive control
- Advice, representation and protection if your children have been exposed to domestic violence
Family dispute resolution
We always aim to resolve family law disputes by way of agreement and negotiation. It is particularly beneficial to avoid protracted legal cases where children are involved. Because our solicitors are trained in negotiation and have a solid understanding of the best way to manage a dispute, we are often able to deal with issues without the need for litigation.
Where necessary, we can represent you in alternative dispute resolution. We deal mainly with two types of alternative dispute resolution which are particularly effective in divorce and family law cases, namely mediation and collaborative law.
Family mediation in Wandsworth
If you cannot resolve a family law disagreement, you are usually required to at least consider mediation, unless domestic violence is an issue. At a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting or MIAM, a trained family mediator will explain the mediation process to you and how it might help.
If you choose to go ahead, the mediator will work with you and your former partner to try and find a way forward. You will not have a decision imposed on you however and any result would be agreed upon by you both. This is faster and more cost-effective than court hearings and can also reduce animosity. Where children are involved, it can help parents work together in the best interests of the family. Our Wandsworth mediation solicitors can advise and represent you throughout the mediation process.
Collaborative law in Wandsworth
Collaborative law involves roundtable meetings between you and your solicitor and your former partner and their solicitor. It can be a more efficient way of deciding issues than correspondence. We have trained collaborative law solicitors who will be able to represent you and make sure that your rights and interests are observed throughout.
Family court proceedings
If it is not possible to reach an agreement on contentious matters, we can ask the court to decide. We will prepare the strongest possible case on your behalf and arrange for you to be represented by an expert family law advocate.
Why choose Crisp & Co’s family lawyers in Wandsworth?
- At Crisp & Co in Wandsworth we specialise in family law. Because we only deal with this sector, we have an exceptionally deep understanding of both the relevant laws and the legal procedures involved. All of our solicitors are genuine experts in family law, with experience across all areas, from child law to financial settlements.
- Many of our Wandsworth team are members of Resolution. This is a group of expert family lawyers committed to dealing with issues constructively and with minimum conflict.
- We hold the Law Society’s Family Law Advanced Accreditation in recognition of our expertise in complex, disputed and high-value family law cases.
Local resources in Wandsworth
Wandsworth County Court and Family Court
Wandsworth County Court and Family Court deals with family law cases, including those relating to children, divorce and domestic violence, for Wandsworth and the surrounding area.
Citizens Advice Wandsworth
Citizens Advice Wandsworth is the local Citizens Advice for Wandsworth and the surrounding area. It provides information and advice across a range of subjects, including in respect of housing and benefits.
Get in touch with our family and divorce solicitors in Wandsworth, London
Book a free initial one-hour appointment with our divorce and family lawyers in Wandsworth now by calling us 0330 013 0381 or filling in our simple online enquiry form.