Blog

Family Law

Should I get a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?

If you are engaged to be married, the last thing on your mind is likely to be the division of your finances should you end up divorcing the person that you are shortly to marry. However, it

Should I Sign A Cohabitation Agreement?

As fewer couples decide to marry or enter into a civil partnership, our family law team is regularly approached by clients asking, ‘Should I sign a cohabitation agreement?’ The law in England and Wales offers cohabiting couples

How To Apply To Court To Take Child Abroad

If you are researching ‘how to apply to court to take child abroad’, it is likely that attempts to reach an agreement with your child’s other parent have broken down. Court proceedings should never be the first

Do I Need Permission To Take My Child Abroad?

One of the most common questions we hear from separated parents planning a trip is ‘Do I need permission to take my child abroad?’ The answer depends on who holds parental responsibility, whether any court orders are

My Ex Won’t Let Me Take My Child On Holiday

If you are looking for answers to the issue ‘my ex won’t let me take my child on holiday,’ you are not alone, and you do have options. The law sets out a clear framework for when

Can My Ex Take My Child Out Of The Country?

The question ‘Can my ex take my child out of the country?’ is one that arises frequently for separated parents, both in relation to a short holiday and a proposed permanent move abroad. The answer depends on

Pension Rights After Separation

Separation and divorce are among the most financially stressful events a person can go through, and one asset that consistently falls through the cracks is the pension. Knowing your pension rights after separation can mean the difference

How Pensions Fit Into A Financial Settlement

When a marriage ends, all of the couple’s assets are usually taken into account before a financial settlement is decided, and that includes both spouses’ pensions. Workplace schemes, personal pensions, and, in some cases, additional state pension

Pensions On Divorce Expert

If you are searching ‘Pensions on divorce expert’, chances are that you are separating from your spouse and have concerns about how your pension pot will be dealt with. Many clients are surprised to learn that pensions

Divorce Lawyers For Men

If you are searching for ‘Divorce lawyers for men’, the specialist team at Johnson Astills is on hand to help. While divorce law is gender-neutral, many men still worry about being treated as the financial backstop, being

High Asset Divorce Lawyer

If you are looking for a high asset divorce lawyer, it usually means you need more than a standard divorce service; you need clear advice on complex wealth, careful planning, and a strategy that protects your future

Separation for Unmarried Cohabiting Couples: The Key Legal Insights

When couples separate, the legal differences can be significant depending on whether they are married or unmarried. Married Couples Married couples benefit from specific legal protections and entitlements under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. This legislation allows

How are pensions dealt with on divorce?

Many people pay into pensions their whole lives without really thinking about it. It can therefore come as a surprise when divorcing that pensions are treated as a matrimonial asset, in the same way as other assets

How Are Assets Divided In A Divorce?

If you are facing a divorce, you will undoubtedly have scores of questions about the process and likely outcomes. One question that our specialist family law solicitors are asked time and again is, ‘How are assets divided

High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer

High-net-worth divorces often involve a number of issues not seen in standard divorce cases. The financial stakes are higher, the assets are more complex, and the potential for dispute is greater. That is why seeking specialist advice

Divorce Day 2026

Divorce Day is upon us once again. This is the day when family law teams around the UK receive their highest amount of calls, and usually falls on the first working Monday of each year. For 2026,

Good Divorce Week 2025

The week commencing the 10th November 2025 has been designated Good Divorce Week by Resolution, an organisation comprising family lawyers committed to resolving family law matters as amicably as possible. Whilst not all of our Family Solicitors

Landmark Package to Pursue Domestic Abuse Perpetrators

On 16th July 2025, the Home Office unveiled a £53million landmark package aimed squarely at the most dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators across England and Wales. The goal of the package is to tackle domestic abuse at its source,

What is the express financial remedy procedure?

Since the launch of the new scheme in April 2025, financial remedy cases with limited means can be dealt with quicker. The details of this procedure are set out within Practice Direction 36ZH and supplement the Family

What is the collaborative process?

There are many options to explore in the endeavour to reach an agreement on the split of matrimonial finances.  Given the Courts encourage and require alternatives to be explored, it is important to understand what these are.

National Stalking Awareness Week

This year, National Stalking Awareness Week will take place on 21st April – 27th April 2025 and the aim is to raise awareness around the signs of and how to spot stalking. It is estimated 1 in 5 women,

Civil Partnerships 20 years on…

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which came into force on 5th December 2005. The first civil partnership registration took place on that same day allowing same-sex couples to enter a similar lifelong

What is the Pathfinder Pilot Scheme?

The aim of the Pathfinder pilot is to bring together local authorities, police and other support services to gather and share information on a private law (applications brought about by parents) children case at the earliest opportunity.

Internal and External Relocation

It is not uncommon that following a breakdown of a relationship, that one party wishes to relocate (with their child(ren)) either in the UK or abroad. This can be a complicated and emotional process with legal implications

What do Financial Remedies Proceedings look like?

In most cases, the dispute between spouses can be resolved without an application to the Court to commence financial remedy proceedings needing to be made. Some cases though cannot be resolved amicably, so it is useful to

Parental Alienation

What the 2024 Family Justice Council Guidance means for future Court cases Over recent years, the term Parental Alienation has become increasingly common, especially within Court proceedings relating to children. Allegations of alienating behaviours are often (but

What happens if my spouse dies during our divorce?

Divorce is a stressful period for anyone, but it can be made more difficult by the death of an estranged spouse. The final Divorce Order (previous called a Decree Absolute) is the document that legally ends a

Divorce Day 2025

What is Divorce Day? It is believed that couples are more likely to end a relationship after spending the  festive period together, therefore the first working Monday of the new year is referred to as ‘Divorce Day’.

Navigating Pensions in Divorce Proceedings

It can be a challenging prospect trying to deal with pensions in divorce proceedings. However, it is an asset that your spouse can make a claim over when considering how to divide the finances of the relationship.

The Queen and Domestic Abuse

On Monday 11th November, ITV released a documentary entitled “Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors” which told the story of several domestic abuse survivors and detailed the Queen’s work to raise awareness about the prevalence of

What is a Section 7 Report?

A Section 7 Report is a court-ordered document prepared under Section 7 of the Children Act 1989. It is ordered when parents cannot agree on arrangements for children’s care, usually only if there are any aspects of

TOLATA Claims

If you are an unmarried couple who is cohabiting and upon separation you have a dispute regarding a property or land that is jointly owned or have a financial interest in, your principal remedy is to apply

What is Special Contribution in Matrimonial Finance?

In divorce under English Law, the Court begins with a 50:50 starting point when considering a financial settlement. The court then decides whether there should be a departure from equality. Contribution is one of the factors which the court

What are Legal Services Payment Orders?

The financial remedy process that accompanies divorce proceedings can be very expensive, especially as each party will often have their own legal costs to pay. These fees can prove difficult to meet for those who earn significantly

‘Thank you so much. We needed your help and support in such a vulnerable time in our lives.’

‘Although our partnership was under unpleasant circumstances, working with you make it a pleasure! I can’t thank you enough for making these months a positive experience as I always was assured of your support in the background. I will not hesitate to recommend you highly to anyone who needs your services.’

‘Having had experience of your organisation, my confidence in you grew. I would have no hesitation in asking you for any necessary representation in the future. Relatives and friends have already been told of my satisfaction. Thank you and well done!’

‘I am perfectly satisfied with the way the case was handled. My solicitor was very efficient, easy to communicate with and was very clear on what the outcome would or could be and who worked well.’

‘Thank you for your kindness. Sometimes it is not easy when you are trying to express how you gave us happiness. A very big thank you!’

‘I cannot fault my experience with Johnson Astills Solicitors. Throughout this difficult time I was made to feel secure, supported and validated – money can’t actually buy these things.’