Top Divorce Lawyers and Solicitors UK

With over 102,000 divorces in the UK during 2020, top divorce lawyers have never been in greater demand. With a tendency to fall into acrimony, having cool-headed and expert legal representation on your side in a divorce is essential.

If you find yourself needing a legal professional to negotiate the end of your marriage, it’s also likely that you are contending with a multitude of issues at once. The best divorce solicitors can help properly separate these issues in a way that delivers the best outcome for their clients.

top divorce lawyers uk

At Top Lawyers, we recognise and award leaders in this field and other areas of law. Our aim is to showcase the best solicitors and family law firms who really excel at the services they offer, saving you hours of searching for the right lawyers.

So whether it’s divorce or family law issues, the guide below sets out the professionals really leading the way.

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  1. The Top Divorce Lawyers In The UK
  2. The Top Divorce And Family Law Firms In The UK
  3. Top Divorce Lawyers – What Makes Them The Best?
  4. What Types Of Cases Fall Under Family Law?
  5. How Much Do Divorce Solicitors Charge In The UK?
  6. Get Help Finding The Best Divorce Solicitors For Your Case

The Top Divorce Lawyers In The UK

Below is an overview of some of the top divorce lawyers in the UK. The brief biographies offer insight into their strengths and capabilities:

Ros Bever

With 18 years of experience in family law, Ros Bever heads up this department at Irwin Mitchell in Manchester. The only divorce lawyer outside of London to be included in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 list in 2016, her impeccable reputation in the North West means that Ros’s expertise is now sought throughout the UK and worldwide.

James Brown

James Brown is one of four partners at Hall Brown and specialises in high net worth and complex divorce proceedings. His ability to scrutinise and balance the issues for his clients has established his reputation as one of the top divorce lawyers in the UK today.

Acting on behalf of lawyers, entrepreneurs and sports people, James also lectures and writes on legal matters. His opinion is regularly sought and he is often quoted in the media.

Alison Bull

Focusing on mediation and arbitration, Alison Bull handles complex financial settlements that relate to divorce, wealth protection and pre-marital agreement cases at Mills and Reeve.

Frequently acting on behalf of high-profile clients, she is adept at resolving disputes in an amicable way. Central to her work is finding conciliatory outcomes for all, particularly those that reflect the best interests of children.

Emma Gill

Director and Head of Vardags in Manchester, Emma Gill’s strength is matrimonial finances and the complexities they can present such as share valuations, trusts, foreign properties and pensions.

She also acts in claims for unmarried partners with particular skill at negotiating on behalf of the needs of children. Resolute, insightful and empathetic, Emma is a regular feature on the Legal 500.

The Top Divorce And Family Law Firms In The UK

In addition to notable individuals, there are a handful of companies that excel in divorce and family law in the UK, and below we offer a brief synopsis:

Stowe Family Law

With a Trust Pilot score rating of 4.8, Stowe Family Law is the UK’s only dedicated team of specialist lawyers in the family law field. Dealing with divorce, finances, child law, prenuptial agreements and unmarried couples, their incredibly detailed and thorough approach to these issues is unparalleled.

They opened their first office in 1982 in Leeds and since then have positioned themselves uniquely as the country’s pre-eminent family law experts.

Vardags

With ‘Britain’s Top Divorce Lawyer’ Ayesha Vardag at the helm, Vardags offers a peerless service to high-net-worth clients from start to finish.

Whether it’s initiating divorce proceedings or responding to a divorce petition where large assets are at stake, Vardags instinctively understands how to protect and advocate for their clients. With a slew of public awards to its name, Vardags represents perhaps the most no-nonsense divorce firm in the UK.

Family Law London

Offering expertise in child custody, international child abduction, probate, wills and civil partnerships, no area of family law is unrepresented by this excellent firm. With a natural grasp of how complex and painful family law issues can be, their dedicated team also understand the crucial importance of ethics and respect in the thick of divorce proceedings.

This in-built attitude ensures the advice they give is always in the best interests of their clients and their families.

Mills & Reeve

The nuanced approach of Mills and Reeve to each individual client places conflict resolution at the heart of their practice. The lawyers and colleagues at this firm bring a broad range of expertise across all areas of family law, giving much-needed support to clients whatever issue they may be facing.

Their website offers an exhaustive array of useful information and they strive to ensure a precise and personalised approach is offered to everyone.

Top Divorce Lawyers – What Makes Them The Best?

Negotiating the issues around divorce can be delicate. In addition to the fair and equal division of assets, there may be child access issues to negotiate. In the wrong hands, a divorce case can become messy and unpleasant.

Also, each party is vying for the best possible outcome for themselves and this can make finding a middle ground difficult.

Tact and diplomacy are undoubtedly essential in cases like this. But a harder edge to negotiations may also be required sometimes. Top divorce layers intuitively understand how to walk the often thin line between being fair and being determined that clients receive what is rightly theirs.

It’s important that these attributes are in your lawyer:

  • Strong and clear communication skills
  • A full grasp of the nuance and complexity of divorce proceedings
  • A realistic approach to obtaining settlements
  • An ability to keep the case moving
  • Ensure correct pressure to prompt a resolution from the defendant

The internet has transformed the way that we can inform ourselves about services on offer. With this in mind, it can be very useful to search for top divorce solicitors and lawyers yourself. Almost all reputable companies include biographies of their partners or affiliates and their websites give insight into the strengths of each company.

You may also be motivated to act on word-of-mouth recommendations.

However you decide to approach your search for a top divorce lawyer in the UK, it’s important to bear in mind that not all online reviews are certified as impartial. A good place to look can be Trust Pilot, or you can contact our team for excellent advice and guidance.

What Types Of Cases Fall Under Family Law?

Family law can cover a wide array of legal situations. It focuses mainly on:

  • Divorce and separation
  • Child custody
  • Child support and visitation issues
  • Family mediation
  • Financial settlements and distribution of assets
  • Domestic violence
  • Child abuse and neglect

The emphasis in divorce proceedings is not for one party to ‘win’ over the other, but rather to come to an amicable settlement that is fair and reasonable to both. The general guideline is that the longer a couple has been married, the more an even division of assets is likely. Regardless of who actually contributed more financially to the marriage.

Under a caveat of extraordinary or special contributions, (when one or both parties amasses a large amount of money) one party may have an argument to receive more. This is where top divorce lawyers can negotiate most effectively.

New divorce laws came into effect on the 6th of April 2022. The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 has streamlined the process of divorce by allowing couples to jointly end their marriage and introducing a 20-week period between proceedings beginning and any action for a conditional order. Other legislation with a bearing that can be explained by lawyers includes the Custody of Children Act 1891.

How Much Do Divorce Solicitors Charge In The UK?

Generally, divorce lawyers in the UK would charge a flat fee for their services. That can range from £250 for initial consultations to a fixed fee of £500. The calibre of the law firm representing you could require a higher rate. Famous celebrity divorce lawyers such as Fiona Shackleton can command £100,000 to represent clients.

Alternatively, in more complex cases, top divorce lawyers may require an hourly rate that can vary according to the time spent on the case or the need for several solicitors to be involved. Legal aid is no longer available for divorce cases, but it can still be available to assist in mediation.

Get Help Finding The Best Divorce Solicitors For Your Case

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Our team is happy to assist with your search. Alternatively, read more about how the best and top divorce solicitors and lawyers work in the UK today on the following links:

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