How to get the best help from your Family Lawyer

To get the most out of a first meeting, it is important that you come prepared so that good use is made of the time and your lawyer can advise you as much as possible.

A family lawyer will want to know the following at an initial meeting:

1. Parties’ Details – full name, date of birth, address, employer or educational establishment attended, and any health issues of you, your partner/spouse and any children.


2. Relationship – a chronology of your relationship/marriage and significant dates. For example, when and how you met, when you started living together, when you got engaged, the date of your marriage and when you separated.


3. Children – full details of any arrangements that are currently in place, how long they have been in place for and whether the current arrangements are working well for the child/children.


4. Agreements – whether there are any agreements that you have reached (verbal or formal written agreements) in relation to children or finances. For example, cohabitee agreement, prenuptial agreement, postnuptial agreement, financial order, child arrangements order.


5. Assets – a list of yours and your partner/spouse’s assets (if known). This includes property, bank accounts, shares, investments, any inheritance that has been received or is due to be received in the near future.


6. Income – yours and your partner/spouse’s income, including any benefits, bonuses and overtime payments and details of any benefits you are receiving (e.g. child benefit).


7. Pensions - a list of yours and your partner/spouse’s pensions (if known), including the value of those pensions.


8. Debts - a list of yours and your partner/spouse’s liabilities (if known). For example, credit card debts, loans and hire purchase agreements. This will include any money owed to friends or family members.


9. Your priorities – what you are hoping to achieve and what are your key priorities throughout the process.


10. Any concerns that you have – e.g. safeguarding issues in respect of the care of a child, that your partner/spouse is removing assets or spending money that belongs to you both.

The more information your lawyer has, the likelihood is the more detailed the advice they can provide.

Please contact a member of the Family Team if you wish to arrange an initial meeting with one of our family lawyers Family Team at Geldards. .

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