Family Law
Steel & Shamash has an excellent reputation in all areas of Family law. Our team of lawyers are approachable and proactive, with wide ranging experience. We receive many referrals from various agencies including the Courts, Cafcass. the Official Solicitors Office, Domestic Violence Projects, the Prison Service and Drug Abuse and Alcohol Projects.
We are committed to providing you with the best advice to assist you and where possible will endeavor to resolve disputes by negotiation, mediation and reconciliation. We can help with:
- Relationship problems – advising on the issues that can arise on separation for cohabiting couples, ancillary relief dealing with all financial aspects, property and children issues, and obtaining court relief if necessary.
- Marriage breakdown – advising on and obtaining a divorce on your behalf, or a separation agreement, which can be an alternative to divorce.
- Civil partnerships – for same sex couples – advising on the implications and on the range of issues that can arise on civil partnership breakdown including all financial and property issues.
- Domestic violence – we can respond efficiently in emergencies to advise you and obtain court orders as necessary.
- Children issues – both in regard to private law disputes between separating couples (contact, residence, parental rights, specific issues such as schooling and removal from the U.K)., and also in regard to public law disputes which involve social services child protection issues, often resulting in care proceedings.
- Adoption – Adoption and Special Guardianship orders – whether you are the applicant or the parent opposing the order, advising on the relevance and consequences of these orders, or making the application.
- Pre-Nuptial Agreements / Cohabitation Agreements - We can also advise you prior to marriage or setting up home with a partner, putting your plans in writing and recording agreement in regard to financial issues in order to provide clarity for the future:
In almost all cases we will consider and advise you on the possibility of resolving any dispute by Mediation or Conciliation without the need for court proceedings, we have a specialist collaborative lawyer who works with couples to find solutions, based on an agreement not to litigate.
COSTS AND PUBLIC FUNDING
Free legal advice is available in some court proceedings and we will always advise you as to your eligibility for public funding. In most public law children law proceedings, as a parent you will be automatically eligible for free public funding.
If in your particular circumstances public funding is not available, or you choose to instruct us privately, we offer competitive rates, and are happy to discuss our fees with you.
Our Family Solicitors are as follows:
Janice Kaufman, Email: janice.kaufman@steelandshamash.co.uk
Mary-Ann Harris, Email: mary-ann.harris@steelandshamash.co.uk
Andrew Dowie, Email: andrew.dowie@steelandshamash.co.uk
Rachel Duke, Email: rachel.duke@steelandshamash.co.uk
Sara Upton, Email: sara.upton@steelandshamash.co.uk
Sara Mullan, Email: sara.mullan@steelandshamash.co.uk
Hannah Robertshaw, Email: hannah.robertshaw@steelandshamash.co.uk