At Thornton Jones, we understand the unique challenges facing modern families nowadays. Whether you are seeking advice on relationship breakdown, same-sex family law, or cohabitation, our family law expertise covers everything from divorce and dissolution, to arrangements for children, to cohabitation agreements.
We know you are probably going through a stressful time but our exceptional negotiation skills and dedication to harmonious discussion over confrontation means it’s likely you won’t have to attend court. We specialise in Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as family mediation and collaborative law to help you and your family make arrangements which work for everyone with minimal stress or disruption to your lives.
If you do end up going to court, we will stay by your side every step of the way to protect your rights (and those of your children if you have any) and will vigorously fight your corner giving you the best possible chance of achieving a positive result to your case.
To get in touch with our friendly and experienced family law lawyers in Garforth, Leeds, give us a call on 0113 246 4423, email enquiries@thorntonjones.co.uk, or complete our online enquiry form.
How our family law solicitors in Garforth, Leeds can help you
We have years of experience assisting individuals and families across Garforth, near Leeds with all kinds of family law matters and disputes, including:
- Divorce and separation
- Financial settlements
- Arrangements for children
- Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
- Cohabitation
- Same-sex family law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
Divorce and separation
If you are looking for a divorce, civil partnership dissolution, or separation, our practical yet compassionate divorce lawyers can provide you with sensible advice on how to proceed amicably whilst preserving your interests and boosting your chances of agreeing a divorce settlement which works for you.
We can help you with:
- Starting divorce proceedings
- Defending divorce proceedings
- Civil partnership dissolution
- Financial settlements
- Child contact
- Legal separations
- Separation Agreements
Financial settlements
Financial settlements are usually arranged in the course of divorce or dissolution proceedings. In most scenarios, we can help you arrange a financial settlement with your former partner outside of court which will later be made legally binding in the form of a Consent Order.
We know that discussing your financial affairs with your former partner can be a sensitive and daunting challenge. However, our divorce solicitors will be by your side throughout the process, providing expert support and guidance to help you secure your future. We can help you negotiate:
- Distribution of money, property, assets, and debts
- Spousal maintenance
- Child maintenance
- Pension arrangements
Arrangements for children
All parents want is to protect their children’s happiness and welfare. For this reason, making decisions about children is often the most contentious aspect of divorce, dissolution, or separation. Our friendly and compassionate family law solicitors will always ensure the welfare of your children is central to our instruction and we will tailor our advice accordingly. We can help you with:
- Child residence (where your children will live most of the time)
- Child contact (access to children for the non-resident parent)
- Making decisions about a child’s upbringing
- Child maintenance
Pre-nuptial agreements
Trends in marriage are changing, with many couples now choosing to get married later in life when both parties are more likely to own significant assets. If you want to protect your financial interests when entering into a marriage or civil partnership, our family law solicitors can help you create a:
- Pre-nuptial agreement
- Post-nuptial agreement
- Pre-registration agreement for civil partnerships
Cohabitation
With many couples now choosing to live together before they get married (or choosing not to get married at all), it is more important than ever to consider what might happen if you break up.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a common law marriage. If you and your partner aren’t married and you break up, you are not entitled to either’s property and could end up in financial difficulty if you do not prepare.
We can assist by providing you with practical advice on entering into a cohabitation agreement with your partner which sets out how your financial affairs, property, maintenance, and childcare arrangements will be arranged in the event you break up.
Same-sex family law
We understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to modern families. Our family lawyers have extensive experience with the unique set of challenges affecting same-sex couples (as well as the issues which affect all couples). We provide a personalised service with advice which is specifically tailored to the particulars of your situations, including:
- Same-sex marriage
- Same-sex divorce
- Civil partnerships
- Civil partnership dissolution
- Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
- Cohabitation agreements
- Same-sex parental responsibility
- Adoption
- Egg and sperm donation
- Surrogacy
- Co-parenting agreements
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Our family solicitors recognise the tense nature of many family law matters and disputes. For example, if your matter involves relationship breakdown, you are probably feeling stressed and worried about the future. If you are looking to make a cohabitation agreement or pre-nup, you might be feeling concerned about clashing with your partner.
In most situations, we are able to utilise our expert negotiation and discussion skills to help you come to an agreement without resorting to court proceedings, which are often lengthy, costly, and stressful.
We specialise in methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution such as family mediation, collaborative law, and arbitration to help you and your family achieve a cordial and effective conclusion to your matter, and several of our team are members of Resolution, demonstrating our dedication to promoting a non-combative approach to family law.
Family Mediation
Family Mediation is one of the most widely-used forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution and in many cases (such as applications for a Contact Order), you are actually required to attend mediation before you can start court proceedings.
Mediation involves attending a meeting or series of meetings with your partner and a professional mediator to discuss and negotiate your family law matter. It can be used for all manner of cases, including divorce, financial settlements, arrangements for children, and cohabitation agreements.
The role of the mediator is not to provide you with advice or tell you what to do, but to help you and your partner negotiate whilst diffusing any conflict.
Any agreement you make can be made legally binding by applying to court for a Consent Order.
Our family team includes three trained mediators, Elizabeth Fyfe, Amanda Gait, and Clare Thornton.
Collaborative Law
Collaborative law is usually suitable for families with complicated issues, such as matters involving division of complex assets, international marriage, or High Net Worth Individuals.
Like family mediation, collaborative law involves sitting down with your partner or former partner and negotiating a resolution to your family law matter. The difference is, there will be no mediator and instead, you and your partner will each have a collaborative lawyer on hand to advise you and guide you through discussions.
Our family team includes two trained collaborative lawyers, Amanda Gait, and Clare Thornton.
Arbitration
If you and your partner or former partner are finding it difficult to agree for whatever reason, arbitration may be the right option for you.
The process resembles court proceedings; however, arbitration tends to be more informal and can be arranged for a time and place which is suitable for you.
The arbitrator is an independent third party who will listen to your case and then decide an outcome for you. However, you will only be bound by the decision if both you and your partner agree to be bound before the process begins.
For these reasons, arbitration tends to be a cheaper and less stressful option than going to court.
Our family team includes one trained arbitrator, Clare Thornton.
Why choose Thornton Jones’ family law lawyers in Garforth?
With first-hand experience of how family court processes can disrupt families, causing unnecessary stress and tension, our ultimate goal is to help our clients work through their family law issues amicably using less confrontational alternatives.
Many of our family law team are proud members of Resolution, an organisation dedicated towards helping families utilise Alternative Dispute Resolution, including:
We are recognised for our skills and experience in family law by the Law Society with the Family Law Accreditation.
Thornton Jones is independently regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Contact our family law solicitors in Garforth
To get in touch with our friendly and experienced family law lawyers in Garforth, Leeds, give us a call on 0113 246 4423, email enquiries@thorntonjones.co.uk, or complete our online enquiry form.
