Services Divorce

As a highly respected law firm with over 45 years of experience in divorceseparations and other family law cases, our expert team of London divorce lawyers and solicitors can support you with a wide range of legal matters. 

We specialise in providing a sympathetic service and, as an active member of Resolution, the body dedicated to improving the family justice system, our legal team is committed to following best practices that encourage sensitive, conciliatory, fair and efficient approaches to resolving family legal issues. Alexander JLO’s divorce lawyers and solicitors are trained to consider the needs of every family member, regarding any children as the most important factor in every case.

Our London Divorce Services

With offices in the Canary Wharf area of London Docklands, we offer local and supportive services and are committed to dealing with divorces quickly and fairly, to minimise family upset. The majority of our divorce cases are completed without divisive court action, which reduces legal fees, tension and stress for all family members. Explore the range of services and legal support you can expect from our top London divorce lawyers and solicitors.

What divorce services do we offer?

Alexander JLO’s team of solicitors and divorce lawyers in London can assist you with the following matters:

  • Ancillary Relief and Financial Orders – negotiating and drafting financial agreements following a divorce; seeking ancillary relief financial orders through the courts. Learn more about our Ancillary Relief services.
  • Children Applications – dealing with child residence, custody orders, contact and access applications and injunctions to prevent international kidnapping through the Hague Convention. Learn more about our Child Custody services.
  • Financial Dispute Resolution – most ancillary relief applications are settled at or shortly after the FDR (a form of mediation supervised by the Courts). Learn more about our Financial Dispute Resolution services.

We have divorce solicitors who specialise in English marriages and marriages outside the jurisdiction. However, we are unable to assist with legal aid applications.

View Our Reviews

We’ve gained excellent reviews and recognition for our legal work over many years and we’re proud to show off the opinions of our clients. Our trusted divorce lawyers in London and highly experienced team of solicitors offer a friendly service and are dedicated to providing highly professional and successful services by gaining an accurate understanding of each individual’s cases and objectives.

What our clients say about our London divorce solicitors

Check out our array of reviews and testimonials below to learn directly from our clients what to expect from Alexander JLO’s London team. Or click through to our Review Solicitors page.

 What our clients say about our London law firm

At Alexander JLO we have a “client-for-life” philosophy that is instilled in all our employees from the day they join. Our client base includes small and medium-sized companies, large multinationals, as well as individuals. Hear what they have to say about our firm.

 What our clients say about our London law firm

At Alexander JLO we have a “client-for-life” philosophy that is instilled in all our employees from the day they join. Our client base includes small and medium-sized companies, large multinationals, as well as individuals. Hear what they have to say about our firm!

 

Our Expert Team of London Divorce Lawyers & Solicitors

At Alexander JLO, we believe in offering an efficient, responsive, friendly and high-quality service. Our team of divorce specialists embody these standards, keeping clients coming back to us time after time for different legal services.

Get in touch with the best divorce lawyers in London

We would be delighted to offer a free initial appointment to discuss your divorce and related matters in our London offices – find our locations.

Our expert team will utilise their knowledge and experience to help your divorce go as smoothly as possible. We also offer a free legal appointment to discuss your requirements and how we can assist. Contact our team today to arrange an appointment or send us an email with the relevant details included. A member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Our Divorce Services

Many of our clients often have questions about our divorce services. Below are some of the most common queries.

The time it takes to finalise a divorce varies based on individual circumstances. We work efficiently and swiftly to ensure we offer the best service possible for our clients. Other factors can slow the process, such as response times by the spouses’ legal representation, coming to agreements on assets or custody (if there are children involved) and any changes in circumstances.

Divorce costs vary depending on the individual circumstances of the divorce, splits of assets, changes in circumstances, and other factors. A fee of currently (September 2022) £593 must be paid to Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Services to apply for divorce. Those on lower incomes can apply for further financial help from the government.

To divorce in England or Wales, you must have been married for at least 1 year, as well as have a permanent home in the country. To apply for a divorce, you must prove that your marriage has ‘irretrievably broken down’ based on one of the following reasons;

  1. Adultery
  2. Unreasonable behaviour
  3. Desertion
  4. You have lived apart for more than 2 years and you both agree to the divorce
  5. You have lived apart for at least 5 years

In UK law, there are no grounds for divorce that cover ‘irreconcilable differences’ – this is a law in the USA.

Divorce Law Changes April 2022

In April 2022, a new law came into force under which there’s no need for any blame to be placed on one party for the breakdown of the marriage. And those seeking a divorce will no longer need to prove one of the 5 reasons required under the old law. The laws are changing due to criticism of old laws for being outdated and unnecessarily creating conflict between spouses.

There are various ways in which the divorce can go ahead even if your spouse tries to keep his or her head in the sand. For example, the court can send a court officer to hand your spouse the papers or a private enquiry agent can serve them personally. Failing that, an application can be made to the court to enable you to go ahead with the divorce, even if your spouse has not been served with the papers.

It is rare for divorce cases to reach contested court proceedings. A non-confrontational process is often used. Solicitors who are members of Resolution will encourage the use of alternative approaches to reach an agreement, such as mediation and collaborative law.

Legal aid is no longer available for most divorce cases, except those that include one of the following factors:

  • Risk of abuse or serious harm
  • Forced marriage
  • Risk of homelessness or losing your home
  • You’ve been accused of a crime, face prison or detention
  • You’re being discriminated against
  • You need family mediation 
  • Your case falls under the Human Rights Act

More information on legal aid can be found on the UK Government’s website. This firm does not offer a legal aid service

Individual circumstances dictate whether a divorce solicitor will be required. However, if there are any of the following factors included in the divorce proceedings, then you should seriously consider using a solicitor:

  • Complexities 
  • One spouse is unwilling to divorce
  • There are children involved 
  • You and your spouse own significant assets
  • You and your spouse are in business together
  • There are overseas connections
  • Either spouse has ever been declared bankrupt
  • Financial dependency on either spouse

Money Claims Survive Divorce – the need for a Clean Break

Many people going through divorce believe incorrectly that after the divorce there can be no further financial claims against them whether for maintenance, or property, or lump sums or pensions. But a divorce does not prevent either party making financial claims against the other. Some ex-spouses wait until their husbands or wives have retired before making claims against their pensions. The only way to prevent financial claims being made against you – even years after the divorce – is to get a financial order sorted out through the court during the divorce proceedings. One of the financial orders the court can grant is called a clean break order. After a clean break order has been approved by the court financial claims are closed off. And while we can fully understand why clients want to deal with their divorce without solicitors, to try and deal with a clean break order without a solicitor is almost impossible and runs the risk of claims against you in the future. Whatever you decide to do about your divorce please make sure you speak to a solicitor about how to prevent financial claims against you.

If matters are contested, no. This would be a conflict of interest. Solicitors are not permitted to act on behalf of both parties in these circumstances.

Firstly, the terms “custody” and “access” are no longer used in English courts. If there is a disagreement over where a child is to live, an application is made not for custody but for a residence order. The right for a child to see his or her parent/s or stay overnight is no longer called access but “contact”. If an agreement over residence and contact is reached between the parents, there is no need for the courts to intervene. The parents can agree for a consent order to be placed before the court so that there is a record of the agreement. But this is not necessary either. Only if matters regarding children are not agreed upon between their parents will the court get involved. In most cases, the parents will come to a joint decision, sometimes via mediation, to ensure the child’s interests are at the forefront of any agreement.

The financial agreement sets out how money and property will be divided. Normally, the courts do not have to proceed over the financial agreement but it is advisable to use a family law or divorce solicitor to make your agreement legally binding. If the matter does go to the courts, you will have to prove that you have attended a meeting to work out whether mediation is a possible resolution.

The splitting of assets is a complex matter that relies on a number of factors, such as:

  • The length of the marriage
  • The financial assets
  • Liabilities of the parties
  • Any children’s requirements

This process is unique to each divorce and will be reliant on the willingness of each spouse. Get in touch with our London divorce lawyers and solicitors if you’d like advice or further details about any of the themes covered in these FAQs.

map and pin icon

Visit our London office

Alexander JLO’s London office is in the heart of Canary Wharf in Docklands. To visit any of our divorce lawyers in London or meet our solicitors in person, see our address details below:

Alexander JLO Solicitors
Jack Dash House
2 Lawn House Close
Isle of Dogs
London
E14 9YQ
DX 42653 Isle of Dogs

Click on the map below to view our Canary Wharf law firm’s location:

Check out Alexander JLO’s Review Solicitors profile

All of our solicitors and lawyers are trained to the highest standards in their speciality area and are dedicated to following best practices, to ensure that our clients get the most satisfactory legal services possible. We are proud to be members of Resolution and are accredited by the Law Society as Family Law specialists. 


Alexander JLO is also delighted to be listed in the Review Solicitors Guide for many areas. Take a look at our firm’s entry and Peter Johnson’s (Senior Partner) profile, or scroll down to see the rest of our team.

GET IN TOUCH

CALL US OR FILL IN THE FORM FOR MORE DETAILS








    CONTACT

    For further information, please contact our team on:

              020 7537 7000

             

             Jack Dash House
    2 Lawn House Close
    Isle of Dogs
    London, E14 9YQ

    Dx 42653 Isle of Dogs

    OUR FIRM

    Alexander JLO firmly believes in a “hands-on” approach to the law backed by personal attention to detail. Our experienced solicitors offer a friendly service, and are dedicated to providing highly professional and successful services by gaining an accurate understanding of each customer’s individual case and objectives. Our client-base includes small and medium-sized companies, large multinationals, as well as individuals.

    Established in 1975, Alexander JLO (AJLO) is a highly respected firm of London solicitors with offices in the Canary Wharf Area of London Docklands. This firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (registration number 258699) and is governed by rules of professional conduct which may be found at: www.sra.org.uk

    COPYRIGHT © 2014 - 2019 ALEXANDER JLO TELEPHONE: 020 7537 7000 EMAIL : INFO@LONDON-LAW.CO.UK     TERMS & CONDITIONS     PRIVACY POLICY     SITE MAP

    WEBSITE CREDITS: ROSEROBINSON.CO.UK | Updated by INBOUNDFINTECH.COM