Our clients come to us with a wealth of questions.
Our team have written a number of articles explaining different aspects of the law: whether that is on filing for divorce, dealing with disagreements over children, or settling disputes outside of court, to name a few, to help clients better understand what to expect.
- Clare Gardiner
Giving back to our community is a key part of life here at BH&O, and where we can, we like to offer opportunities to aspirational young lawyers. We have a strict +18 policy, due to the sensitive nature of the work that we do and the confidentiality requirements that come
- Carrie Rudge
Getting married is one of life’s most exciting milestones, but with that excitement can come questions about your financial future. While no one likes to think about the possibility of a relationship ending in divorce, prenuptial agreements (often referred to as “prenups”) are a useful tool for protecting assets and
- admin
The first meeting with a mediator is often called a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting or MIAM. The meeting will generally last about an hour, and will give you an opportunity to tell the mediator about your situation, and the issues that need to be decided. The mediator will tell
- Emily Boardman
I have previously written about a High Court decision to refuse to revoke an adoption order under the inherent jurisdiction: https://www.bholegal.co.uk/revocation-of-adoption-orders/ As a brief reminder this was an application by an adoptive mother of two teenagers. The children had left her care (after many years) and returned to their birth
- Ruth Hawkins
Christmas should be a magical, exciting time of year for children. However, when their parents are going through a separation or have separated, it can also be a very stressful, difficult time, full of uncertainty, feelings of sadness and having to find their way through a difficult situation. If you
- Simone Brown
Solicitors often consider domestic abuse in family law matters relating to children, however advice relating to domestic abuse in financial remedy proceedings is becoming more prevalent, when there are allegations or concerns about financial abuse following a marriage or civil partnership breakdown. Research suggests that approximately one-third of financial remedy
- Ruth Hawkins
It is thought that something like 7 out of 10 marriage or relationship breakdowns can be attributed to the menopause. Divorce in the older age group, is increasing, with many frequently citing Menopause as one of the reasons. Some women have stated that their symptoms affected their marriage/relationship. Menopause on
- Ruth Sharon
I am a consultant solicitor specialising in care proceedings and children work. Prior to joining BH&O in 2020 I spent time working overseas supporting governments and judiciaries implement child protection systems. I discovered most countries have good child protection laws, but the laws are poorly implemented or not implemented at
- Clare Gardiner
We appreciate that legal advice in the UK can be expensive. Our solicitors’ hourly rates, range between £150 per hour, to £330 per hour, plus VAT. However not every client is charged an hourly rate. Some of our clients agree to one-off appointments to gain advice on a fixed fee,
- Ruth Hawkins
Are you struggling to agree arrangements for your children for the school holidays? The school summer holidays start in England & Wales very soon. The school holidays can cause stress for any family, with balancing childcare, work, and holiday plans. But for separated parents, this is especially hard. The best
- Clare Gardiner
We’re three days away from a general election that is reportedly going to hand Labour a record majority. However, if previous elections are anything to go by, we’re not completely convinced by the polls! Our Office Manager, Clare, has studied each of the manifesto’s put forward by the three major
- Emily Boardman
A case has just been published in which I represented the applicant, an adoptive mother, who sought to revoke adoption orders made many years ago in relation to two children known as X and Y. The case was heard by Mrs Justice Lieven in the High Court and the judgment
- Simone Brown
A consent order reflects the terms of a financial agreement which has been reached between parties during a divorce. Once it has been approved by a judge it becomes legally binding. It could be an agreement parties have reached between themselves, or in mediation, or through solicitor negotiations. Why is
- Ruth Hawkins
This week it’s been Mental Health Awareness Week, which has prompted me to think back on my 26 years practicing as a family solicitor, and to think about how those cases might have had better outcomes for those children and young people. For most of that time, I’ve been a
- Ruth Hawkins
We have recently seen a significant sea-change in family law with the changes in the Family Procedure Rules concerning Non Court Dispute Resolution (‘NCDR’) coming into Law. NCDR will be at the very heart of each and every family law case. From Monday 29th April, there will be a much
- Ruth Hawkins
This week is Celebrate Neurodiversity Week, and we’re delighted to have our first Guest article, from Harcourt Chambers’ barrister Frances Harris. It’s so helpful to recognise that we’re all different, and we all have different qualities, needs, strengths and weaknesses. The Family Justice system is waking up to this, and
- Emily Boardman
In another article that aims to provide information for prospective adopters Emily Boardman sets out the challenges for a family when safeguarding concerns arise prior to the making of the adoption order. This article is about the removal of a child who has been placed with prospective adopters (PAs) before
- Ruth Hawkins
But what is family mediation? Put simply, it’s a way of resolving disputes which have arisen upon separation, or of deciding how to organise your lives separately. I believe that it can be an extremely powerful way of resolving these issues, be they big – housing, money, children – or small
- Ruth Hawkins
By Karen Newman and Ruth Hawkins Family Mediation week is taking place from 22nd to 26th January 2024. The objective of Family Mediation week is to raise awareness of mediation and how it can help separating families manage their issues constructively and non-confrontationally. At BH&O we have two mediators, our
- Ruth Hawkins
It is often frustrating that a domestic abuse victim makes the decision to leave an abusive relationship, to break the cycle, only to find they can’t, because of money. But a new government initiative has been introduced to give much needed practical help with this. From 31 January, victims of
