Fixed Fee Divorce Lawyers

[5STM5]

Just looking for some advice. Missus and I are having an agreed split for a few weeks, but are considering the reality of a divorce. We have 2 teenagers (15 and 17) and some assets.
Initially we both engaged family lawyers but felt they antagonised the situation and neither of us want that, so we both released them. My wife is entitled to Legal Aid, I am not.
We both want to agree the split and child custody ourselves and have it formalised in any divorce.
Can a fixed fee lawyer represent both of us just to complete the divorce?

[paintman]

Appears not. Conflict of interest.
http://www.bbmfamilylawsolicitors.co.uk/divorce/ca...

Worth a read:
https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/downloads/docume...

Edited by paintman on Tuesday 6th November 21:12

[SeeFive]

Good luck with the fixed fee, I don’t think that is likely to happen and provide any level of quality. On day 1 mine quoted between 2,000 and 12,000 quid for my divorce and eventually came in over the 12 by some margin. It is extremely variable depending on circumstances and work to be done. Something like 350-400 quid an hour fees for my family lawyer. Worth it though in my situation, my ex was a complete bh.

If you are in an amicable position, you can draw up your own separation agreement (backed by appropriate forms to be filled out available online) and have it formalised by solicitors and stamped by the court if they feel it is appropriate. Should keep costs down, but you need to be in a very good position with your OH to keep the lawyers in check from “recommending” further options in the settlement.

[GT03ROB]

SeeFive said:

If you are in an amicable position, you can draw up your own separation agreement (backed by appropriate forms to be filled out available online) and have it formalised by solicitors and stamped by the court if they feel it is appropriate. Should keep costs down, but you need to be in a very good position with your OH to keep the lawyers in check from “recommending” further options in the settlement.

Very much this. In my divorce had a solicitor lay out a skeleton of an agreement, we put a bit more flesh to it. Solicitor formalized it & all agreed.

Had to ask OH to intervene when the solicitor took things too far at one point.

If you are both in agreement a solicitor should be able to give you a very good estimate of costs, which should be low.

[Cylon2007]

If you agree on how the split between you is going to work both financially and with the kids (good they aren't much younger) you could go down the route my Ex and I took back in 2010. We used Divorce online https://www.divorce-online.co.uk/ as we both agreed that we didn't want the lawyers getting wealthy at our expense.
OK so I have no idea of your actual situation but apart from the cost in paying off the ex the total cost of our divorce including all Online, court, re-mortgage fees etc came to just under £4k. This included a 'Clean Break Agreement'.

Good luck I hope all goes well for the pair of you, best advice I can give is keep it amicable as this is how you keep the costs down.

[GT03ROB]

Cylon2007 said:

Good luck I hope all goes well for the pair of you, best advice I can give is keep it amicable as this is how you keep the costs down.

...and keeps things amicable into the future, which will be for the benefit of the kids.

[5STM5]

Thanks for the advice folks

[ojoman]

My ex and I went through a DIY one. Came to approx. £450 or thereabouts, completing the papers ourselves. However, we agreed on splitting of assets between us and are still on fairly good terms.

[sinbaddio]

It can be done, it's very unusual tho. My gf when she got divorced, agreed with her OH the 3 items, that are child access, final financial separation and clean break. He had it drawn up by a solictor. She took it to another solicitor who explained it all in layman's terms. He tried but failed to persuade her to contest it, as it was what they'd agreed.

Everyone signed, rubber stamped ad all done.

[rlw]

Re Legal Aid, is your wife the victim of domestic abuse? No? Do you have assets? Yes? Pretty much forget Legal Aid then.

[hutchst]

rlw said:

Re Legal Aid, is your wife the victim of domestic abuse? No? Do you have assets? Yes? Pretty much forget Legal Aid then.

That depends on where he lives

[simonas2702]

The solicitors I work for have lost most of the legal aid for family matters due to it being available I understand now where there has been violence in the relationship. As a result a lot of people just do their own.

I suppose it depends on what assets you have and what you both want.

You're never likely to get a fixed fee from a lawyer in something like a divorce unless you can pin point exactly what it is you both want.

Nightmare situation though, been through it especially when kids are involved