Family

Our promise to you:

• Accurate, professional advice at an affordable and realistic price
• Focussing on your children’s welfare and their best interests
• Helping you try and reach agreement wherever possible
• The use of clear non-technical language
• Providing you with a clear pricing structure
• Helping you focus on what’s best for you and your children
• Completing the process at your pace
• Taking immediate steps to help wherever possible

We have included links to a number of organsiations which may also provide assistance:

Resolution

Resolution’s 6,500 members are family lawyers and other professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. Resolution members follow a Code of Practice that promotes a non-confrontational approach to family problems. Resolution members encourage solutions that consider the needs of the whole family - and in particular the best interests of children.  Read more about Resolution

Relate

Relate's vision is a future in which healthy relationships are actively promoted as the basis of a thriving society. Their mission is to develop and support healthy relationships by:- helping couples, families and individuals to make relationships work better delivering inclusive, high-quality services that are relevant at every stage of life helping both the public and policymakers to improve their understanding of relationships and what makes them flourish. Read more about Relate

Around the table

Around the table are a united group of solicitors, mediators, independent financial advisers, accountants and counsellors dedicated to helping people resolve their family problems. They all offer constructive advice and alternatives to court proceedings to focus to achieve a lasting and dignified agreement with the needs and interests of any children firmly in mind. Read more about "Aaround the table"

Kent Family Mediation Service

Kent Family Mediation Services is a 'non-profit making' organisation, which is widely renowned for offering a professional, impartial and unrivalled Family Mediation service to private and legal aid clients in a growing number of accessible mediation centres throughout the County of Kent. Read more about KFMS 

Cafcass

Putting children and young people first in the family courts.

Cafcass looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. They work with children and their families, and then advise the courts on what they consider to be in the best interests of individual children. Read more about Cafcass

HM Courts & Tribunals Service

HM Courts & Tribunals Service was created on 1 April 2011. It brings together HM Courts Service & Tribunals Service into one integrated agency providing support for the administration of justice in courts and tribunals.

HMCTSHM Courts & Tribunals Service HM Courts & Tribunals Service was created on 1 April 2011. It brings together HM Courts Service & Tribunals Service into one integrated agency providing support for the administration of justice in courts and tribunals.  Read more about HMCTS

CSA/CMEC

Child maintenance is financial support that helps towards a child’s everyday living costs when the parents have separated. It’s for children who are either: under 16 under 20 and in full-time education (but not higher than A-Level or equivalent) The parent who doesn’t have day-to-day care of the child (the ‘paying parent’) pays child maintenance to the parent or person who does (the ‘receiving parent’). The ‘receiving parent’ could be a grandparent or guardian as well as a parent. Read more about child support

Families Need Fathers

Families Need Fathers is a charity chiefly concerned with the problems of maintaining a child's relationship with both parents during and after family breakdown. They offer information, advice and support services for parents who could otherwise spend thousands of pounds without achieving a positive outcome for the children. Their network of over 50 UK branches offers the pro-bono advice of solicitors and others familiar with the family courts; a dedicated helpline; website and resources for members that will help you to have a relationship with your children. Read more about Familie Need Fathers

Gingerbread

Gingerbread provide expert advice, practical support and campaign for signle parents. Read more about Gingerbread 

NACCC National Association of Child Contact Centres Promoting safe contact within a national framework of child contact centres and services; Read more about NACCC

CCOPPP

COPPP is a professional organisation for psychotherapists mainly but not exclusively in the Canterbury and Kent area, and is an Organisational Member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). As well as providing services to its members, it offers the general public the assurance that the psychotherapists who are members of CCOPPP adhere to its Code of Ethics and maintain high professional standards. Read more about CCOPPP

Payment Options - Divorce and family law matters

Introduction

We are often asked by clients what options they have to pay our invoices, particularly where they may not be able to immediately raise the money to do so.  We have set out below the options available.

All matrimonial work (apart from fixed fee divorces) is invoiced by us at the end of every month.  These invoices will capture all chargeable time spent by your team of lawyers working on your instructions.  They will therefore vary from month to month to reflect the amount of work we have undertaken on your behalf.

If you find yourself unable to pay any invoice, we ask that you contact us immediately; we can only help if we know there is a problem.  Rather than having to pursue you for unpaid invoices we would much prefer it if we can agree a solution which satisfies both you and us before it becomes a real issue.

Interest on late paid invoices

Do remember that if you fail to pay any of our invoices within 14 days of receiving them, you will be charged interest on the outstanding balance from the date of the invoice to the date of payment at the County Court interest rate on judgement debts applicable from time to time.  This is currently 8% per annum. 

OPTION 1 - PAY AS YOU GO

You can opt to pay our invoices every month from your cash resources.  These will be for varying amounts and you will therefore need to be able to pay whatever those amounts are from month to month.  We accept a number of payment methods:

1. By debit or credit card (no fees).  To do so please either visit one of our offices or telephone the accounts team on 01622 698049 who will be pleased to process your payment;
2. By electronic bank transfer.  Our account details are:  Lloyds Bank, 3rd floor, Black Horse House, Medway Wharf House, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1QS.   Sort code 30-95-37.  Account No. 00005763.  Please ensure you quote your invoice number and matter reference (taken from your invoice); or 
3. By sending a cheque with your name, invoice number, and matter reference (taken from your invoice) clearly written on the back to our accounts team at 5 Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN.

Money on account

We ask you to pay some money on account of the charges and expenses we expect to incur at the beginning of the matter and may ask for further payments on account as we progress.  When we put these payments towards your invoice(s) we will send you a receipt.  We will offset these payments against your final invoice but it is important you understand that your total charges and expenses may be greater than any advance payments you may have made.  If you do not make such a payment on account when asked to do so, we shall be entitled to stop working for you until the payment has been made.

What will this option cost?

Assuming you pay the invoice(s) within the 14 day period, there is no cost for this option.

OPTION 2 - MONTHLY STANDING ORDER

If you would like the certainty of knowing how much you will be paying towards your legal costs each month then we can consider accepting a regular monthly payment by standing order.

We will still issue an invoice each month so you know how much you are being charged.  The invoice will confirm what fees have arisen that month, what payments have been received from you and what your carried forward balance is.

We will agree with you what a reasonably acceptable monthly payment would be based on our experience of the type of matter and will review that arrangement with you every 3 months.

It will be a specific requirement that you maintain the standing order for as long as it takes to pay off all our invoices and any interest that has accrued.  If you fail to keep up these payments then the full outstanding balance of all unpaid invoices plus interest will become payable by you immediately. 

We shall also be entitled to stop working for you until the payments have been made.

What will this option cost?

You will be charged interest on any outstanding balance from the date of the invoices to the date of payment.  Your monthly payment will be applied to the oldest balance first and any interest which has arisen on that balance so your interest costs are kept to a minimum.

OPTION 3 - LEGAL EXPENSES LOAN

You may qualify for a legal expenses loan.  We can discuss how much you should budget to borrow in order to cover all your legal costs.  We can then help you find a suitable lender.  You then manage repayment of that loan from your own resources on a monthly basis.

If you want to find out if you qualify, speak to your adviser.

What will this option cost?

You will be charged interest by the loan company under their terms.

OPTION 4 - LEGAL AID

Please note that we do not undertake work which is funded by the Legal Services Commission (formerly "Legal Aid") and in any event most matrimonial work does not qualify for Legal Aid assistance.  If you believe that you may be eligible for public funding and you have not already discussed this with us then you must notify us immediately, otherwise we will proceed on the basis that you have chosen not to apply for public funding even if you might be eligible.