The cost of seeking expert legal advice can be such a concern for some people that they delay going to a solicitor until they absolutely have to. This is completely understandable, particularly at a time when your future financial security is so uncertain. But the issue of how you pay your divorce costs is something we can help you with and it shouldn’t stop you getting the support you need. The sooner you get expert legal advice, the better.
How we help with divorce costs
We will give you clear, detailed information about the likely cost of legal fees right at the start. We can agree to cap fees at a certain level and we regularly review them with you. We provide a fixed fee initial meeting which gives you an opportunity to discuss your priorities and concerns and understand how we will help you. After that, we believe the best way to limit legal costs is to secure a quick settlement and to avoid going to court wherever possible. Our experience, expertise and use of the latest technology, mean that the service you receive from us is efficient and represents real value for money.
Funding options
If you are unable to pay your legal fees from savings or income we can discuss a number of other funding options with you and introduce you to our expert contacts who can help. You may have family or friends who are willing to give you an interest free loan. If you do borrow money from family and friends, make sure you mention it to us as we will be able to help you draw up a formal agreement that will be taken into consideration when negotiating your settlement.
Investing in good legal advice
Some people may choose to negotiate their own financial settlement and only consult a solicitor to handle the legal paperwork and finalise what has been agreed. However, even cases that appear simple and straightforward can throw up difficulties and it’s easy to miss something important. Missing something can cost you a lot of money, time and stress! For that reason, we always encourage clients to think about their legal costs as an investment. We make sure that the money you spend on legal fees is used to secure the financial settlement you deserve and to make life after divorce as secure as possible for you.
If you or your spouse have pensions, business interests, trusts, property portfolios or inherited assets, it’s crucial that you each seek advice from a specialist family solicitor. These assets can be valued in different ways and it is vital to ensure that they have been valued accurately and fairly. A firm like ours has lots of experience in checking that assets have been fairly valued. If the valuations are not carried out thoroughly and correctly then you could miss out on hundreds of thousands of pounds that you should be entitled to. It’s important to get it right first time because it can be very difficult if not impossible to persuade a judge to look at a case again if it turns out that assets were not valued fairly at the time of the divorce settlement.
To speak to one of our friendly solicitors for a confidential chat give us a call today on 01423 594680.
Emma Doughty is family lawyer who provides straightforward, easy to understand advice. She is passionate about helping people and using her expertise to achieve the best outcome possible. She has been described by her clients as “tremendous and incredibly supportive”.
Everyone’s circumstances are different and this article is provided by way of general information only and must not be relied upon. If you require legal advice on a family law issue, please feel free to contact us by emailing enquiries@harrogatefamilylaw.co.uk.
