As the Divorce Bill passes its second reading in the House of Commons we take a step nearer to No Fault divorce.

It is likely to be extremely worrying if you receive a letter from children’s social services headed “Letter before Proceedings”.

My colleagues specialising in domestic abuse have noted a marked increase in the number of enquiries since the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown.

The Charity Refuge has confirmed that The National Centre for Domestic Violence has already seen a 25% increase in calls and online enquiries to their service.

The recent measures being implemented across the country to tackle Coronavirus (COVID-19) have the potential to cause increased anxiety for those currently suffering or at risk of suffering domestic abuse.

As we all find ourselves in lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19 and navigating the ‘new normal’, many couples are facing the reality of a relationship breakdown. But what steps can you take at this particularly difficult time to protect your future?

We are often asked to advise relatives particularly Grandparents about “Special Guardianship Orders” but what are these orders and why would you need one?

The breakdown of a relationship can be an emotional time. There can be a lot of uncertainty and a lot of practical issues to resolve. For many people pets are an integral part of family and relationships.

According to the Office of National Statistics in the year ending March 2019, 1.6 million women and 786,000 men experienced domestic abuse. The number of women and girls killed in England and Wales had also risen to its highest level in 14 years with a 10% increase having been documented. Between March 2018 and March 2019 there were 241 recorded female victims of murder, manslaughter and infanticide with 48% of those victims being killed in a domestic homicide, and 38% of those victims being killed at the hands of their partner or ex-partner.

A consent order is a legally binding court order approved by a judge in divorce proceedings, filed after both parties have agreed their financial settlement. This is often without the need for either party having to attend at Court.

We are being asked by our clients more and more frequently about the potential need for a pre-nuptial agreement. While some couples may find it difficult or awkward to approach the subject of a pre-nuptial agreement with their future spouse, a day will come in the not too distant future when it will be considered usual if not essential to discuss the need for a pre-nuptial agreement before the big day.

There are many reasons why it is important to try and have an amicable separation. We have highlighted our top three below: