How to Choose a London Family Law Solicitor
When it comes to choosing a London family law solicitor there are loads of choices. But where do you start and how do you select a family lawyer?
In this article, our family law solicitors offer their insight on how to choose the best family lawyer for you.
Online and London Family Law Solicitors
For family law legal advice call the expert London family lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or complete our online enquiry form.
What family law advice do you need?
The lawyer you choose may, to a certain extent, depend on the type of family law help you need. For example, if you want to start no-fault divorce proceedings you may feel comfortable giving instructions over the phone and not be too concerned about your choice of a family lawyer. Alternatively, if you are fighting to receive a fair divorce financial settlement with a spouse who is refusing to provide financial disclosure or trying to stop a violent ex-partner from having contact with your children or objecting to your ex taking your children overseas to live then your choice of family solicitor is likely to be a major decision for you.
Even if you think that it is ‘just a no-fault divorce’ remember that you may also need legal advice about a child arrangement order or about a financial court order to provide you with financial peace of mind.
How to choose a family law solicitor
Picking a family law solicitor at random is one option but not one that the lawyers at OTS Solicitors recommend. That’s because any aspect of family law advice is very personal to you, whether it is making an application for an injunction order because of domestic violence or because you need legal advice on international adoption or surrogacy.
Trust
As family law is so personal it is best to check that you can work with your family lawyer. The solicitors may have a great website and well-written blogs or loads of academic credentials but will they ‘get you and your case’?
That’s an important consideration because when your family law solicitor gives you legal advice on whether to agree to a proposed divorce financial settlement or if you should compromise and agree on child custody and contact arrangements for your children, you need to be able to trust your lawyer. You may not like the advice offered but if you know that your family lawyer is a fighter and is only recommending an option because it is genuinely the best outcome for you then you are better able to accept the advice offered and compromise any financial or children law proceedings.
Language
Language is important, especially if English is not your first language and you feel more comfortable speaking about deeply personal issues in your first language or in a combination of that and English.
At OTS Solicitors our lawyers specialise in immigration law and family law and it’s fair to say that our family law solicitors and representatives speak a wide variety of languages. For example, in addition to fluency in English, our family law team has the following language skills:
- Solicitor Dhaya T Kathiravan is fluent in Tamil
- Solicitor Behzad Sharmin is fluent in Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu
- Solicitor Shazia Bhatti is fluent in Urdu
- Solicitor in training Sanae Sahebjalal is fluent in Farsi or Persian
- Legal services officer Anoushka Bandekar can speak Hindi and Konkani
Even if you are comfortable giving instructions in English, our family law team understands that it can be comforting to have a family lawyer who is also able to converse with you in a second or third language and understand the nuances of your instructions.
International expertise
Increasing numbers of families require international family law advice. For example, advice about:
- The jurisdiction for no-fault divorce proceedings as potentially there may be more than 1 country in which divorce proceedings could be commenced
- Child abduction fears because a parent is concerned that their child will be taken out of the UK to live or won't be returned to the UK after an overseas holiday
- Relocation orders so a parent can return to live overseas with their child as the English court has jurisdiction to make a child arrangement order if the child is habitually resident in the UK. Therefore, even if both parents and the child are not British citizens the family court in England may still have jurisdiction so a parent could commit an offence of child abduction if they leave the UK without the other parent’s agreement or a court order
- Financial applications where there is an international element, such as refusal to provide full financial disclosure and hidden assets overseas or the existence of a prenuptial agreement signed in the spouse’s home country
- International adoption or surrogacy as a means to expand a family with consequent family and immigration law issues to resolve
- Associated immigration and family law issues. For example, if you are in the UK on a spouse visa you may be concerned about your ability to stay in the UK because of your separation or you may need legal advice on the option of applying for indefinite leave to remain using the domestic violence concession or visa switch options
What do the reviews say
At OTS Solicitors we are extremely proud of our reviews because we work very hard to receive them. We recognise that client feedback is the best judge of our ability to listen and advise.
A recent family law review said ‘’I strongly recommend OTS Solicitors-City of London for resolving children/family’s issues. I’ve been represented by a very professional Solicitor, miss Behzad Sharmin. She manages all the case with high standards skills and a brilliant human side. Miss Behzad takes care of every single detail and she always reassured me. I know how hard she works, overtime too. She truly takes care of her clients and she wants always to achieve the maximum. She is absolutely focused and problem solver person. I felt supported since the beginning. Miss Behzad is a wonderful person! That’s makes absolutely the different. I wish her a brilliant career! I can’t recommend her enough!’’
The reviews we receive often speak from the heart and we cannot thank our reviewers enough as they give a real flavour of the type of service we offer and emphasise our commitment to excellent client service, whatever the nature of your family law query.
Online and London Family Law Solicitors
For family law legal advice call the expert London family lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or complete our online enquiry form.
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