Divorce and separation
Ending a marriage or a long partnership, from the first application to the final order, including when only one of you wants it.
Steady advice while your family changes
Divorce, separation, arrangements for children and the money that has to be divided. We explain your options in plain words, write every fee down before work starts, and move at a pace you can manage.
60 minfirst meeting at a fixed fee
2 daysto reply to each enquiry
In writingevery fee estimate
If anyone in your home is in danger right now, phone your local emergency number first. We advise by appointment and cannot respond to emergencies.
How we help
Most people come to us at the hardest point of a relationship. We take one matter at a time and explain it before we act on it.
Arrangements for children
Where the children live, time with each parent, school and travel, agreed between you where possible and decided by a court where it is not.
Money and property
Dividing the home, savings, pensions and debts, with full disclosure from both sides before anything is signed.
Agreements before or during marriage
Written so each person knows what they keep. Whether a court will follow such an agreement differs by country and by state.
Mediation and negotiation
Advice around mediation sessions and letters between lawyers, aiming for terms both households can live with.
Protection from harm
Urgent applications to keep you or your children safe, where the law where you live allows them. When there is immediate danger, the emergency services come first.
Your first meeting
The first meeting lasts an hour and costs a fixed $180, agreed before you come. You tell us what has happened and what worries you most, and we explain the options the law gives you where you live, with what each is likely to involve in time and money.
We will not tell you what a court will decide, because nobody can promise that. You leave with a written note of the options we discussed and an estimate for the next step, so you can decide in your own time.
- In our rooms or by video, whichever feels safer
- Bring any letters or court papers you already have
- A written summary within three working days
- No pressure to instruct us afterwards
From a first message to a plan
Four steps before any work begins, so you know who is acting for you and what it will cost.
Send an enquiry
A few lines are enough. Tell us when and how it is safe to contact you.
Conflict check
We confirm we have never acted for the other person involved. This usually takes one working day.
First meeting
An hour to listen, set out your options and answer questions, at a fixed fee.
A written plan
A summary of the options, the likely steps and a fee estimate, for you to accept or set aside.
Fees, written down first
Most work starts on a fixed fee. Where a matter is contested and the hours cannot be known, we bill by the hour and update the estimate every month.
| Work | How it is charged | From |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | Fixed fee for one hour | $180 |
| Divorce where both agree | Fixed fee for the paperwork and filing | $1,400 |
| Separation or parenting agreement | Fixed fee, drafting and one round of changes | $950 |
| Agreement before marriage | Fixed fee; your partner takes separate advice | $1,600 |
| Negotiation and court work | Hourly, with a monthly updated estimate | $260 an hour |
Court and filing fees are set by the court and added at cost. Fees, waiting periods and the steps a court requires differ by country and by state, and we explain the ones that apply to you before work starts.
Quiet rooms near the water
Meetings happen somewhere calm, with a door that closes and nobody waiting outside it.
What clients said afterwards (example reviews)
Every letter was explained before it went out, and the fee estimate turned out to be honest. A frightening year became something that could be managed one week at a time.
The focus stayed on what our daughter needed. The parenting plan that came out of it is one both homes can actually follow.
Calls came back when promised, and questions that felt silly were answered patiently. Nothing was signed until it made sense.
Questions people ask us quietly
Is what we discuss kept private?
Yes. What you tell us is confidential, and we explain the narrow exceptions at the first meeting, since they differ by country and by state. We only contact you in the ways you have told us are safe.
Will it end up in court?
Many families reach terms through negotiation or mediation, and some matters do need a court. We cannot predict which path yours will take, but we explain the likely route and its cost before each step.
How long does a divorce take?
It depends on where you live, whether you both agree and whether money or children are involved. Some places set a waiting period before a divorce can be final. You get an honest range at the first meeting.
Can one lawyer act for both of us?
No. A lawyer can act for only one person in a separation, so your former partner will need advice of their own. We can write to their lawyer, or to them directly if they do not have one.
What if there has been abuse?
Your safety comes before any legal question, so if someone is at risk now, ring the local emergency number. When you contact us, say which phone number, email and times are safe, and we use only those. Many places offer urgent court protection, and we can talk you through how it works where you live.
Is this website legal advice?
No. It is general information about how we work. Family law differs by country and by state, and advice begins once we know your situation and you have agreed our terms in writing.
Start with a short enquiry
Tell us a little about your situation and how it is safe to reach you. Within two working days, after a conflict check, we offer a first meeting or explain why we cannot act.
- Nothing is shared with the other person
- Leave out anything you would rather say in person
- Fees are agreed in writing before any work
Visit or call
The phone is answered by a member of the team, never a machine, during office hours.
Contact the office
Rooms above the waterfront, with level access and meetings by video
Office hours
| Monday to Thursday | 8:30 to 18:00 |
| Friday | 8:30 to 16:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | Closed |
Arriving discreetly
The entrance is at street level and the waiting room is quiet. If you would rather not be seen arriving, tell us and we arrange the courtyard door or a video meeting instead.
Ask for a video meeting