From time to time, everyone can encounter personal problems within the family, whether because of a relationship breakdown or a dispute concerning your children. Not only is this likely to be a worrying and stressful time for you and your family, but such problems can result in complex legal issues. If you find yourself in this situation, it is vitally important that you get detailed legal advice from an experienced, approachable and sympathetic lawyer. At David W Harris & Co, our family solicitors in South Wales offer all of this in a professional and friendly way.
Our team have been representing local families for many years and we have the expertise to handle matters effectively and with minimal conflict. Where necessary, we always work to resolve matters out of court, negotiating on your behalf to secure the best possible outcome.
If litigation is required, we will ensure that your case is robust and that you are thoroughly prepared and supported throughout. You will be represented at hearings by a family law advocate with expertise in the relevant areas of law.
We know how difficult it can be to deal with a legal case relating to your children and our family law specialists will make sure that they are available as needed to talk through any concerns you have. We will keep you up to date on the progress of your case and work proactively to avoid delays.
Our family law services include:
- Divorce, civil partnership dissolution and separation
- Financial settlements
- Arrangements for children
- Care proceedings
- Cohabitation
- Prenuptial agreements
- International child abduction
- Domestic violence
- Adoption
- Grandparents and children
Contact our family law solicitors in South Wales
Our family solicitors in South Wales offer expert family law advice across a wide range of issues. We can give you the guidance and support you need, ensuring you secure the best possible outcome for your family.
To speak to one of our local family law solicitors in South Wales, you can call one of our offices in Pontypridd, Swansea and Talbot Green. Alternatively, we have an easy-to-use contact form.
Our family law services
Divorce, civil partnership dissolution and separation
If you are facing the breakdown of a relationship, our solicitors specialising in family law can provide advice on the options open to you. If you are not ready to divorce or end your civil partnership, we can discuss separation and whether a separation agreement will be helpful. This is an agreement that sets out how issues such as property, bills and assets will be dealt with. It can help you avoid ongoing difficulties and give you some financial certainty.
If you wish to divorce or dissolve your civil partnership, we will advise you of the other issues that need to be dealt with alongside this. These include putting a financial order in place and making arrangements for children if you have any. We also deal with divorce and dissolution applications.
Financial settlements
If you are divorcing or dissolving your civil partnership, it is essential to put a financial order in place setting out how your assets and liabilities will be split. If you do not have a financial order, your former partner could make a claim against you in the future.
We will deal with the disclosure and exchange of financial information and discuss the provisions you would like made in the order. We are often able to deal with financial matters out of court and we will negotiate on your behalf to try and reach an agreement that will give you the resources you want.
Once an agreement has been reached, we will ask the court to approve and seal it so that you have a legally binding order setting out how your assets will be split.
Arrangements for children
We know that if you have children, making new arrangements may be the hardest part of a separation. We can work with you to identify the best schedule for your family and work to try and agree on this with the solicitors for your children’s other parent.
If you are not able to agree on arrangements straightaway, you will usually need to consider mediation as a next step, unless domestic violence is an issue. You and your child’s other parent will need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting or MIAM. This is a meeting with an experienced family law mediator who will explain to you how mediation works and how it might assist you and your family.
If you decide to go ahead with mediation, the mediator will help you both to explore potential solutions and to agree on suitable arrangements that work for your whole family. They will not impose a binding decision on you and if you cannot agree on what you would like to happen, you can walk away.
Where necessary, we can ask the court to make a child arrangements order. We will ensure that they have the information they need and explain the process to you so that you know exactly what to expect.
Care proceedings
We know how stressful it is for families to face local authority intervention and care proceedings. We have family law team members with expertise in this complex and crucial area of law and we can ensure that you have the representation you and your children need.
The process is often lengthy and complicated. We will make sure that you know what to expect and what is likely to happen next. We will also ensure that your point of view is heard and your interests observed.
We have extensive experience in representing all parties affected by care proceedings, including parents and grandparents. We also deal with cases of non-accidental injury and we have represented the official solicitor in care proceedings, so we have a full understanding of the process and the crucial points that will need to be addressed.
Cohabitation
If you are planning on living with someone or you have already moved in together, a cohabitation agreement can set out how you will deal with various issues such as ownership of property, ownership of savings and other assets, payment of the rent or mortgage, payment of bills and the sharing of debts and other liabilities.
Putting a cohabitation agreement in place can protect your financial position, give you a level of certainty and help you avoid disputes later on. It can also mean that should you separate, matters are less contentious than they might otherwise be.
Prenuptial agreements
For those considering marriage, a prenuptial agreement can help you protect your assets and have some financial reassurance for the future.
The agreement can include details of how your assets would be split, should you separate, who would take responsibility for debts and what will happen to shared property.
While a prenuptial agreement is not legally binding, the court will generally follow its terms provided that:
- You have both made full financial disclosure to each other
- The agreement is correctly drafted and executed as a deed
- Neither of you was subjected to undue influence to persuade you to sign and you entered into the agreement freely and willingly
- You both received independent legal advice before signing
- The agreement was made at least 28 days before the marriage
- The agreement does not prejudice the interests of any children
If you were to separate after making a prenuptial agreement, the divorce process is likely to be quicker, easier and less acrimonious as you will have already agreed on some of the potentially contentious issues.
If you are already married but would like to enter into a similar agreement, our family lawyers can prepare a post-nuptial agreement.
International child abduction
Our team of family law lawyers includes experts on international child abduction. If your child has been taken overseas without consent, we can advise you of your position and take steps to have them returned. We know how distressing the situation will be and we will act promptly and give you the support and guidance you need at this difficult time.
Domestic violence
If you have experienced domestic violence from your partner during your relationship or after it has ended, we can take immediate action to protect you and your children.
There are a range of options open to us, including:
- Non-molestation orders, aimed at preventing an abusive partner from threatening, harassing or harming you or your children
- Occupation orders, setting out how your home will be occupied, to include preventing the abuser from entering all of part of the premises
- Domestic violence prevention orders, to provide emergency protection to you or your children while we take the next steps in dealing with the situation
Adoption
If you are considering adopting a child, we can advise you on the legal requirements and help you through each stage of the process. We will ensure that the adoption order is correct and that you have the parental responsibility you need to take decisions on behalf of your child.
Grandparents and children
We know how difficult the position of a grandparent can be when a relationship breaks down. Our family law experts routinely advise and represent grandparents in dealing with child law issues. We can advise you on maintaining contact with your grandchild as well as residence or special guardianship.
Contact our family law solicitors in South Wales
If you need to speak to one of our solicitors dealing with family law, please feel free to ring us today. We can answer your initial questions and discuss the first steps in dealing with your family law matters.
To speak to one of our family solicitors in South Wales you can call one of our offices in Pontypridd, Swansea and Talbot Green. Alternatively, we have an easy-to-use contact form.