Unique Approach
Elspeth Kinder of JMW Solicitors explains why it’s so important to get advice from a solicitor who understands you and your family, when seeking a divorce
Working in family law, I’m often asked to give a second opinion on the progress and likely outcome of a case. When I’m consulted by a client in that scenario, they are usually reflecting on their legal advice to date and facing some deep personal questions about where their life is headed and what the future may hold for them.
One of the recurring themes I hear when speaking to people about their experiences is that they didn’t feel like their solicitor fully understood the issues for their family and the outcome the client wanted to achieve. Not feeling heard and understood must compound the sense of disempowerment at what will undoubtedly already be one of the most difficult times of their life.
I don’t accept that the role of your legal team is simply to move your divorce from A to B. It’s certainly not why I became a family lawyer and I honestly don’t feel there’s a place for that approach in such a delicate area of law.
The reason I chose to work in this area, as opposed to say corporate law, is the heavy human element to it and the opportunity to help navigate a client through testing times. No two relationships are the same, so how could the divorces be? They’re nuanced and what is important to one separating couple may be less of a priority to another.
It’s my belief that divorce, although guided and advised by us, is led by the client. They know best what is right for their family and crucially, they will also know what will be best in aiding their healing and family lawyers should put those things at the heart of their client care. Rushing them through the process, treating the divorce as a box ticking exercise, or worse, stoking flames between the divorcing couple in order to needlessly elongate the case and thereby prolonging the conflict and pain, are definite red flags. These should certainly serve as an opportunity to the client to consider whether they have the right representation. After all, every approach should be as unique as the circumstances.
Divorce can take a while to work things through and it can be an incredibly emotionally charged time in your life, so you’ll want to make sure that you have the right backing in your corner to support you and take care of you and to remain focused on what will be the best for you and your family.
