Our services are not only provided to clients in the Manchester area but also in the North West and beyond. Our Family Department head, Judith Dennerly, is a solicitor and Partner with the firm, who has over 25 years experience in dealing with family work and is supported by an experienced and skilful team. The Family Department has a team approach to family work, drawing on the particular skills and expertise of the team members.
We currently act for a wide range of clients, in Manchester, the North West and further a field, ranging from those who do not work, to employees and those with business interests and substantial assets. We have experience of dealing with assets over £1,000,000. As a law firm specialising in family law, we provide an efficient and understanding service, backed up by high quality legal and practical advice from our solicitors.
For more informaton please contact:
Judith Dennerly on 0161 653 5299
Our Family Department provides full advice and assistance to all our clients and in particular in the following areas:
Divorce and Judicial Separation
If you are intending to separate from your husband or wife and simply require some initial advice on your rights and interests, then we can advise you about this.
Alternatively should you require a solicitor to advise you in regard to petitioning for a divorce, then our Family Department will be able to assist you in preparing all the necessary paperwork, advise you in regard to the procedures and your costs position. Alternatively we also advise clients who have received a divorce petition from their husband or wife and need advice and assistance from one of our solicitors in our family law department in regard to responding to the petition. A solicitor would discuss all the options available to you.
Resolving Financial Issues
Our family law department also offers advice on resolving financial issues, following a divorce or separation. Our solicitors provide an efficient and understanding service, in connection with all the assets of the marriage, advice on the likely division of the assets and whether any maintenance is recoverable or payable by one spouse to the other. We have resolved financial disputes for a wide variety of clients both in Manchester, the North West and further a field, with values of the assets covering a wide spectrum. As a family law client, you would want to ensure that you could protect your assets and income, as far as possible, with competent, logical and sound family law advice from the solicitors in our family law department.
Children Issues
We act for both mothers and fathers in regard to the residence (custody) of children and the level of contact a non-resident parent has with the children. Issues involving children can sometimes be difficult and emotional and our solicitors provide understanding and practical advice to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. First and foremost the solicitor will explore with the client the possibility of an amicable agreement in regard to residence or contact and if this is not possible, then the client will be advised of all the options, including issuing court proceedings and the court process.
Our family law department also advises in regard to the payment of child maintenance. This is governed by the Child Support Agency, which assesses how much maintenance a non-resident parent is expected to pay for the child living with the resident parent. As a law firm specialising in family law work, we can give guidance on the level of maintenance and how matters can be dealt with if maintenance is agreed, which may not necessarily involve the Child Support Agency.
Cohabitation Issues
Many people do not get married but instead live together and purchase assets and properties together. These issues bring with them difficult legal problems, to which our family law department can provide assistance and advice. Our solicitors can advise on the enforceability of prenuptial agreements, cohabitation contracts and what the position of the parties would be in regard to the division of any assets upon them separating and no longer cohabiting. The main issue concerning cohabiting couples is what happens to a property when they separate and our Family Department can provide comprehensive advice in this regard.
Non Molestation and Occupation Orders
Non-Molestation and Occupation Orders were previously known as Injunctions. Our family law department can advise on obtaining a Non Molestation Order, preventing a party from coming into contact with a client and also ousting a party from the cohabital or matrimonial home, if there is a threat or danger. Applications can be prepared, representations made at court and we can deal with all the procedural steps.
For more informaton please contact:
Judith Dennerly on 0161 653 5299
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: As an absent parent how much maintenance would I have to pay in respect of my child with whom I have contact but who is living with my spouse?
A:On a broad-brush basis, an absent parent is expected to pay 15% of their net income by way of maintenance for one child, 20% for two children and 25% for three or more children. For example, a parent who is earning £12,000 net per annum and has one child would pay approximately £1,800 per annum by way of maintenance, which translates to approximately £150 per calendar month. This is an approximate figure and other factors could reduce this, for example if the child has overnight contact with the absent parent, then this maintenance figure could be reduced.
For more informaton please contact:
Judith Dennerly on 0161 653 5299
Q:I am seeking to divorce my spouse and I am concerned as to how our capital assets will be divided between us after the divorce?
A:The starting point for the division of assets is an equal division of the assets between the husband and wife. However a number of factors need to be taken into account to decide whether it would be appropriate for one party to receive a greater than half share of the assets. The factors taken into account are both parties´ incomes, earning capacities, financial resources, financial needs and obligations, which they have now and are likely to have in the foreseeable future, the standard of living enjoyed by both parties during the marriage, the length of the marriage, the parties´ ages and the needs of any children. There is not a strict rule and each individual case will need to be looked at carefully when applying the above factors.
For more informaton please contact:
Judith Dennerly on 0161 653 5299
Q: How long will a divorce take to conclude from start to finish?
A:The time taken to conclude a divorce is dependent upon whether or not the opposing spouse defends the petition. If the petition is defended, then it is extremely difficult to put an exact timescale on matters. However if the opposing spouse does not defend the divorce petition, provided that both parties deal with matters as quickly as possible and there are no complications, a divorce can be concluded in approximately four months.
For more informaton please contact:
Judith Dennerly on 0161 653 5299
Disclaimer of Warranty and Liability
We do not represent or warrant in any way that the information and/or data accessible on or via this website is accurate, complete or current. We have no liability whatsoever in respect of any use that you make of such information and all warranties, express or implied, statutory or otherwise are hereby excluded.
The information provided on this website is general and has not been written to meet your individual requirements.
Neither we nor any of our partners or employees will be liable for any kind of damages, howsoever arising, including, without limitation, loss of profits, compensatory, consequential, direct, exemplary, incidental, indirect, punitive or special, damages or any liability which you may have to a third party, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such loss.
These terms and this disclaimer and any claim based on use of information from this website shall be governed by the laws of England.
