Family Law Solicitors in Sussex

Whether you are entering marriage or civil partnership and need advice about a prenup or are ending your relationship and want guidance on separation and divorce, we can help you reach all the right decisions to ensure that you and your family are legally and financially protected.

Our specialist team of matrimonial and family law solicitors in Sussex have been helping individuals and families find quick and fair resolutions to their family law matters through effective and affordable advice, tailored to match their precise needs and individual family issue.

We offer a fixed fee initial consultation (£125 plus VAT) to provide quick and easy access to legal advice at an early stage and a fixed fee Divorce service (£495 plus VAT and Court fee).

At GWCA Solicitors, our expert family law and matrimonial solicitors, can give you sympathetic, practical advice on separation, divorce or other family problems, when you need it most.

Our Family Department is led by partner Christine Nestor (based in our Worthing office) and solicitor Claire Parsons (based in our Worthing office), who also offer appointments at our other offices across Sussex.

Our team have wide-ranging expertise and experience in all types of family law including financial and children issues following separation, divorce and civil partnership dissolution, cohabitation cases, pre and post nuptial or civil partnership and cohabitation agreements and settlements.

With specialist expertise in all aspects of family and matrimonial law, our family solicitors in Hove and Worthing can help you with a wide range of issues that may be affecting your family and relationships, including:

  • Divorce
  • Separation
  • Civil partnership dissolution
  • Financial settlements
  • Pension rights
  • Maintenance
  • Division of capital and other assets
  • Injunctions to prevent violence
  • Injunctions to protect family assets
  • Enforcing orders
  • Child Maintenance and Child Maintenance Service (CMS)
  • Wills and Inheritance
  • Pre-nuptial agreements
  • Post-nuptial agreements
  • Living together agreements / cohabitation agreements and settlements
  • Family Law
  • Collaborative law
  • Mediation
  • Children law

How our Matrimonial Solicitors in Worthing, Hove and West Sussex can help you with divorce or separation

We recognise that Divorce and separation can be a draining and distressing time in your life and can have a dramatic impact on your personal and family life, as well as your finances. Dealing with the far-reaching ramifications can also be a daunting prospect, especially when emotions are running high.

With compassion, sensitivity and decades of experience, we have helped many people successfully and efficiently through the divorce and separation process to achieve a fair outcome. We take the time to listen to you and understand your circumstances and concerns in order to identify appropriate options and advise you on the best way forward for you and your family.

Our Solicitors are members of Resolution (formerly the Association of Family Lawyers) and subscribe to their Code of Conduct which supports the objective of resolving family law issues as constructively and with as little conflict as possible.

After decades of attempts to revolutionise Divorce Law by removing the need to apportion blame, “no- fault” divorce proceedings can be pursued from 6th April, making  Divorce a much less hostile and confrontational process.  To coincide with this change, we will be introducing a fixed price Divorce service, to remove the uncertainty over costs.  

In cases of relationship breakdown, whether you are married or not, our team can advise you on a wide range of issues, including:

  • Divorce
  • Separation
  • Unmarried partners' disputes
  • Civil partnerships
  • Pension rights
  • Maintenance
  • Financial settlements
  • Division of capital and other assets
  • Injunctions to prevent violence
  • Injunctions to protect family assets
  • Enforcing orders
  • Child Maintenance and the Child Maintenance Service (CMS)
  • Wills and Inheritance
  • All related property and financial matters
  • Collaborative Law
  • Mediation

From simple straightforward separations to bitter and protracted divorce battles, we are here to support you throughout your proceedings from start to finish, advising you of all of the things you need to consider, offering practical guidance and steps forward.

We will communicate with your spouse or partner, on your behalf, if you prefer, prepare all the necessary paperwork and be there to represent you in court.

We are able to draw on our collective wealth of experience to offer you fast, tailored advice so you can reach a quick resolution to your divorce or separation proceedings.

How our Matrimonial Solicitors in Hove, Worthing and West Sussex can help you with co-habitation agreements or living together agreements

If you are living with your partner, with or without future plans to get married or enter a civil partnership, have you ever considered what would happen if you were to split-up?  In these circumstances, a pre-nuptial or cohabitation agreement can protect you legally and financially if the worst were to happen and you were to go your separate ways.

Whilst it may be the very last thing you want to think about, it is worth considering what would happen to your assets such as property, a business or future inheritance, if you were to divorce or separate at some point in the future.

By making a pre-nuptial or cohabitation agreement with our specialist matrimonial lawyers at GWCA Solicitors, you will be making a prudent step towards safeguarding your financial future as well as taking sensible measures to minimise any future conflict. This will give you the confidence and peace of mind that your current and future assets are properly protected, should you and your partner ever split-up, especially if you have had any children during the relationship.

Our expert matrimonial solicitors in Worthing, Hove and throughout Sussex have extensive experience in UK family law and have been at the forefront of drafting and negotiating effective agreements for individuals and couples who co-habit.

We can advise you on all aspects of co-habitation and help you with:

  • Co-habitation agreements or living together agreements
  • Co-habitation settlements
  • Pre-nuptial or pre-marital agreements
  • Post-nuptial agreements
  • Division of assets
  • Arrangements for your children
  • Disputes

Whatever your situation, we can advise you of your rights and options and help you to devise an agreement that suits your precise circumstances, living and family arrangements, whether you have straight forward or complicated assets.

Since the rights of couples differ from those of married couples or civil partners, we recommend getting advice from our expert team at the beginning of a relationship if you plan to live together.

Specialist Family Law Solicitors in Worthing, Hove and West Sussex

One of the most distressing aspects of a divorce or separation is the breakdown of the family unit, which is why it can be one of the most stressful and traumatic life events you can experience. Understandably, you will be worried about how your break-up will affect your home, finances and living circumstances and the impact this will have on your children and family life.

We have decades of experience in providing family law advice to divorcing and separating couples and have helped thousands of individuals and families through the many problems that can occur as a result of a family breakdown.

With specialist advice, designed to protect your interests and safeguard the future for you and your family, our dedicated team of family law solicitors can help you with the many issues arising out of divorce or separation that can impact on your children, including:

  • Where your children will live
  • Contact between children and their parents
  • Injunctions to protect children
  • Paternity issues
  • Financial support
  • Dealing with the Child Maintenance Service (CMS)
  • Change of name
  • Enforcing maintenance payments
  • Moving abroad with your children
  • Child abduction
  • Grandparent’s rights
  • Wills and protecting inheritance rights
  • Disputes involving your children
  • Domestic violence
  • Adoption
  • International child abduction
  • Tax and Inheritance implications of divorce or separation
  • Care Proceedings
  • Emergency protection orders
  • Collaborative law    
  • Resolution

We pride ourselves on our excellent reputation and track record for strong, effective legal action that achieves positive outcomes for our clients

Children Law Solicitors in Hove, Worthing and West Sussex

Wherever children are involved in a family dispute or relationship breakdown, we believe that it is important priority is given to protect and safeguard their best interests.

Our team of specialist children law solicitors in Worthing, Hove and West Sussex have considerable skill and expertise in dealing with all aspects of children law including financial and children issues following separation, divorce and civil partnership dissolution. As qualified Collaborative Lawyers and members of the Family Law Panel and the BrightPOD, Collaborative Lawyers Group, you can be confident that your matter will be handled with the utmost professional skill and expertise necessary to achieve the best outcome for you and your family

Where there are children involved, our primary focus will be on sensitive negotiation and agreement rather than conflict. Wherever possible, our aim will be to help you minimise any disagreements and conflicts, so you can reach swift resolutions for the benefit of everyone involved.

We will do whatever we can to make things as easy as possible for you and your family and ensure that you receive the best care and help available for your children. If you think that your children may be at risk, we can help you find a place of safety, deal with child protection agencies or take steps through the courts to protect your children from abuse or abduction.

Whatever the nature of the legal issues you are facing, whether it’s adoption, cohabitation, securing contact with children or grandchildren or divorce, we will work diligently and proactively to move your case forward, ensuring things are brought to a satisfying conclusion in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Contact our Matrimonial and Family Law Solicitors in Hove, Worthing and West Sussex

If you are involved in any kind of family dispute and need advice on a family matter or wish to meet with a specialist solicitor at any of our six offices in Sussex to discuss your situation, our matrimonial and family law solicitors in Worthing, Hove and West Sussex will be pleased to speak with you and may be able to help immediately with advice over the telephone on 0800 652 6547. Alternatively, you can email us at worthing@gwca.co.uk to speak to Christine Nestor or fill out our quick contact form and we will get back to you shortly.

If you decide to instruct us to act on your behalf, we’ll discuss the options with you and provide an estimate of the costs. To see who can help please, click here. Our Family Department offers an initial consultation at a fixed fee of £125 plus VAT (£150).