Family Law Fees - Family, Children, Divorce solicitors based in Northfield, Birmingham

Fee options:

Full representation package

Costs will be charged at an hourly rate from £146 plus VAT per hour to £201 plus VAT per hour depending on the experience of the lawyer concerned.
Whilst estimates will be provided at the commencement of the case, it will be difficult to provide a precise quote as the costs of the case will be dependent upon a number of variable factors: the willingness of the opponent and/or their solicitor to be reasonable, the complexity of the individual case as it moves forward, the number of court hearings set by the Court during the course of the case etc.
Payments for such a service will either require an agreed monthly standing order or lump sum payments in advance of work commencing. Invoices and revised estimates will be issued regularly to keep clients updated in relation to the costs

Advice, Assistance and Court Representation packages

1. Children cases

These are cases relating to:

Where a child should live;
How much time a child should spend with his/her other parent;
Whether a child can move from one area to another, or from this country to another country;
Getting a child returned to you after he/she was removed by another parent/member of the family;
A specific issue such as in relation to a child’s name, whether he/she needs medical treatment or which school he/she should attend;
Involvement of social workers with the family;
Special guardianship and adoption;
Claims for child support and lump sums for children.

(a) First Appointment at our office- £100 plus VAT

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you

(b) Early resolution package- £250 plus VAT

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
Initial letter to the other person involved or their solicitor and consideration of their response
Final letter to the other person involved and consideration of their response
Referral to mediation if required
Email & telephone contact up to the conclusion of mediation

(c) Issue of proceedings as Applicant – £350 plus VAT plus Court fees

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
Initial letter to the other person involved or their solicitor and consideration of their response
Referral to mediation as required in most cases before an application can be made to court
Preparation of court documents and sending them to the appropriate court for issuing
Email & telephone contact up to the issue of the application to court.

Please note that there are Court fees payable which are set by the Court which are not included within the fixed price quoted. Details of court fees payable will be provided.

(d) Representation at Court at the first hearing – £300 plus VAT (this is completely separate to, and in addition to, the quotes set out above)

One of our lawyers will attend Court with you, negotiate on your behalf with the other side or their solicitor;
Represent you in Court;
Send to you a copy of the order and a letter confirming the outcome.In the event that you require representation at further hearings or you require additional work to be carried out e.g. preparation of a statement, then your lawyer will provide you with a fixed fee quote prior to any work being carried out.
If you require additional work to be undertaken outside of our packages above then a fixed fee quote will be provided or alternatively our hourly rate will be charged.

4. Domestic abuse

In many cases, subject to a financial assessment, you may well be eligible for legal aid for cases where you and/or your child has been the subject of domestic violence or abuse. In many cases we will be able to advise you of whether you might be entitled to legal aid via an initial free telephone consultation.

However in other cases where legal aid is not available, we offer the following service:-

(a) First appointment – £100 plus VAT

An initial appointment of up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you

(b) Further assistance – £150 plus VAT

An initial appointment of up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
Warning letter to the other side or their solicitor

(c) Preparation of court documents – £350 plus VAT

Drafting your application for a Non-Molestation and/or Occupation Order to include your supporting statement

(d) Representation at an emergency hearing – £350 plus VAT

Representing you at the emergency hearing before a District Judge
Awaiting the sealing of the emergency order
Arranging personal service of the order and application. Please note that this does not include the cost of the process server which will be in addition.

(e) Representation at the first hearing(non-emergency)/ return date as either Applicant or Respondent – £300 plus VAT

One of our solicitors will attend Court with you, negotiate on your behalf with the other side or their solicitor
Represent you in Court
Send to you a copy of the order and a letter confirming the outcome.

In the event that you require representation at further hearings or you require additional work to be carried out e.g. preparation of a statement, then your solicitor will provide you with a fixed fee quote prior to any work being carried out.

If you require additional work to be undertaken outside of our packages above then a fixed fee quote will be provided or alternatively our hourly rate will be charged.

3. Divorce

(a) First appointment – £100 plus VAT

An initial appointment of up to 30 minutes
Follow up letter

(b) Undefended divorce as Petitioner – £425 plus VAT plus Court fee (this only relates to cases where the Respondent to the divorce has agreed to the divorce and has confirmed he/she will not contest it)

- Letter to the other side or their solicitor
- Drafting your divorce petition and dealing with ongoing paperwork to obtain a decree absolute.

This does not cover resolving any issues relating to finances or children. Separate estimates (not quotes) can be provided for these matters.

In some cases it can be difficult to prove that the Respondent is aware of the divorce proceedings when he/she refuses to formally acknowledge receipt of the divorce petition. In such cases an application for personal service of divorce petition / application for deemed/dispensed service to the Court will be required. A separate quote will be provided to make this application if appropriate.

(c) Undefended divorce as Respondent – £200 plus VAT

Letter to the other side or their solicitor
Drafting your Acknowledgment of Service and dealing with ongoing paperwork up until the decree absolute.This does not cover resolving any issues relating to finances or children. Separate estimates (not quotes) can be provided for these matters.In the event the Petitioner does not pursue the application or apply for the decree absolute and it is necessary to make an application on your behalf then a separate quote will be provided

4. Finances

(a) First appointment – £100 plus VAT

An initial appointment of up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you

(b) Agreed financial order package – £500 plus VAT

An initial appointment of up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
A letter to the other side or their solicitor setting out the agreement
Preparation of all necessary documentation to obtain the agreed order
Correspondence with the court and other side

Please note that there are Court fees payable which are set by the Court which are not included within the fixed price quoted. Details of court fees payable will be provided.

(c) Early resolution package – £750 plus VAT

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
Initial letter to the other person involved or their solicitor and consideration of their response
Entering into voluntary financial disclosure
Consideration of other side’s financial disclosure and requesting additional information if necessary
Negotiations with the other side if appropriate and limited to a proposal and counter-proposal
Referral to mediation if required
Email & telephone contact up until the conclusion of mediation/negotiations

(d) Issue of proceedings as the Applicant- £1,300 plus VAT

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter to you
Preparation of court application
Preparation of Form E
Consideration of the other side’s Form E
Preparation of all documents in readiness for the first hearing including preparation of bundles as required by the court
Representation at the first hearing
A follow up letter following the first hearing
Email and telephone contact up to the conclusion of the first hearing

Please note that there are Court fees payable which are set by the Court which are not included within the fixed price quoted. Details of court fees payable will be provided.

(e) Representation of Respondent up until and including the first hearing – £1,100 plus VAT

An initial consultation for up to 30 minutes
A follow up letter
Preparation of Form E
Consideration of other side’s Form E
Preparation of all documents in readiness for the first hearing
Representation at the first hearing
A follow up letter following the first hearing
Email and telephone contact up to the conclusion of the first hearing

(f) Representation of Applicant after the first hearing, up until and including the Financial Dispute Resolution appointment – £1,500 plus VAT

Preparation of responses to questionnaire and considering the other side’s answers to the questionnaire
Requesting further disclosure or evidence
Entering into negotiations if appropriate and limited to proposal and counter proposal
Preparation of all documents in readiness for the Financial Dispute Resolution appointment
Preparation of court bundles (if acting for the Applicant)
A follow up letter following the hearing
Email and telephone contact up until the conclusion of the hearing

(g) Representation of Respondent after the first hearing, up until and including the Financial Dispute Resolution appointment – £1,350 plus VAT

Preparation of responses to questionnaire and considering the other side’s answers to the questionnaire
Requesting further disclosure or evidence
Entering into negotiations if appropriate and limited to proposal and counter proposal
Preparation of all documents in readiness for the Financial Dispute Resolution appointment
A follow up letter following the hearing
Email and telephone contact up until the conclusion of the hearing

If you require additional work to be undertaken outside of our packages above then a fixed fee quote will be provided or alternatively our hourly rate will be charged.