Our Fees
Family Law Fees
We believe in complete transparency about costs. Below is our fee structure for family law matters. All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT at 20% unless stated.
How We Charge
Many family law matters are charged on a fixed fee or staged fixed fee basis, so you know your costs in advance. For more complex or contested matters, we charge on an hourly rate basis. We will always discuss the most appropriate arrangement with you at the outset and confirm everything in writing before we start.
Our fees cover all legal work carried out by us. Court fees, barrister fees and other third-party costs (disbursements) are separate and will be confirmed as part of your initial advice.
Divorce Proceedings
Since the introduction of no-fault divorce in 2022, the divorce process is largely administrative. Our fees for an uncontested divorce are as follows:
| Stage | Our Fee (exc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Divorce petition (sole applicant) | From £600 |
| Divorce petition (joint applicant) | From £500 per party |
| Responding to divorce petition | From £400 |
| Full divorce process (issue to final order) | From £1,200 |
Court fee: £593 (payable to HMCTS, subject to change). Fee exemption may apply if you receive certain benefits.
Financial Remedy
Financial matters on divorce or separation can range from straightforward consent orders to fully contested proceedings. Costs vary significantly depending on complexity and whether matters are agreed.
| Matter | Our Fee (exc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Consent order (agreed financial settlement) | From £1,200 |
| Financial remedy — negotiation and settlement | From £2,500 |
| Financial remedy — contested proceedings (per stage) | By quotation |
| Separation agreement / cohabitation agreement | From £800 |
| Pre-nuptial agreement | From £1,500 |
Children Matters
| Matter | Our Fee (exc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Child arrangements order (agreed / consent) | From £1,200 |
| Child arrangements — negotiation (mediation support) | From £1,500 |
| Contested child arrangements proceedings (per hearing) | By quotation |
| Specific issue or prohibited steps order | From £1,000 |
| Parental responsibility agreement / order | From £600 |
Domestic Abuse / Non-Molestation Orders
| Matter | Our Fee (exc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Non-molestation order application | From £1,000 |
| Occupation order application | From £1,200 |
Emergency applications (without notice) can be dealt with urgently. Please call us on 020 3475 9799 or our emergency line on 077 5620 2066.
Disbursements
- Court application fees (set by HMCTS — typically £232 to £593 depending on the application)
- Barrister fees where a hearing requires advocacy (we will provide an estimate in advance)
- Expert fees (e.g. CAFCASS reports, financial expert reports)
- Process server fees
- Interpreter and translation costs
Hourly Rates
For complex or contested matters, we charge on an hourly rate basis. Rates are agreed in advance and confirmed in your client care letter.
| Fee Earner | Hourly Rate (exc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Senior Solicitor (8+ years PQE) | £350 |
| Solicitor (4+ years PQE) | £250 |
| Other fee earners | £190 |
VAT
VAT at 20% is chargeable on our professional fees. Court fees payable to HMCTS are exempt from VAT. We will confirm the full VAT position in your client care letter.
Payment
We require a payment on account before commencing work. For longer matters, staged payments will be agreed. We accept bank transfer. Full payment details are provided in your client care letter.
Complaints
If you have concerns about our fees or service, please contact us in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman at legalombudsman.org.uk or to the Solicitors Regulation Authority at sra.org.uk.