My Family, Your Family, Our Family

The classic picture of a family has changed over the last few decades. Divorce & remarriages, co-habitation and the wider acceptance of same sex relationships mean that, today, no two families are alike. Society’s changes are reflected in changes in family law, and your family lawyer has to be up to date.

When couples get together, events happen – events like buying a home, merging financial interests, having or adopting children, and more. Sadly, couples also fall out. Then what’s Ours becomes Mine or His or Hers.

Dealing with family issues is never easy – you need a sympathetic, yet fair and realistic lawyer who can help you achieve a satisfactory solution to your problems.

Here in Sudbury on the Suffolk and Essex border in the heart of East Anglia, we at Bates Wells & Braithwaite are at the cutting edge of family law services. We believe that collaboration is better than conflict and to that end have incorporated the principles and practices of Collaborative Law into our family law services.

It doesn't have to be a fight - Collaborative Law

Instructing a Collaborative Lawyer gives you dignity in your divorce or separation. In Collaborative Law, all the parties agree to collaborate right from the start – no sides are taken and all the heat is removed allowing a much more civilised and dignified settlement.

Our family lawyers are convinced of the value of Collaborative Law in providing a dignified and respectful effort for resolving many issues that have to be tackled when relationships break down.

We recognise that Collaboration might not provide the right solution for every couple, so we also provide more “traditional” separation, divorce and dissolution of civil partnership advice and advocacy at court.

Children and the Law

Children are very special in law. The protection of their needs is paramount, so we work together with parents, carers and other bodies to ensure the best outcome for the child. The Bates Wells & Braithwaite team are highly trained in the law relating to children. Stephen Harris, who leads the team, is a member of the Law Society’s specialist Children Panel.

The Wider Impact

Sometimes family law involves more than just the family. A family business, commercial and residential property trusts, investments and other assets may have to be added into the equation. When this is the case we work in close collaboration with our corporate, commercial and property colleagues to make sure that needs are met both now and in the future. Sometimes a false accusation is made or inaccurate information is supplied to authorities with an adverse effect upon family life. We have a wealth of experience in helping our clients to work through such difficulties.

Children

• Parental responsibilities
• Contact and Residence issues
• Family disputes
• Financial provision
• Guardians and Guardianship
• Adoption
• Child abduction in the UK and overseas
• Collaborative solutions

Other family issues

• Grand parents and other family members
  
  If you require more information please contact Stephen Harris

Couples

• Divorce
• Cohabitation disputes
• Civil partnership issues
• Pre-nuptual agreements
• Separation agreement
• Financial issues; complex family disputes
• Family breakdown & the family business
• Inheritance and the family
• Emergency remedies
• Collaborative solutions
  
  If you require more information please contact Julia Korona.