Our family lawyers help you navigate through family matters, ranging from pre-nuptial contracts, adoption to divorce settlements, and child custody
Get a glimpse of all that we offer
Family Lawyers & Divorce Solicitors
AM International Solicitors takes pride in being a boutique law firm. That means our lawyers specialize in different branches of English law and international law, including family law.
Over the years, we have dealt with countless high-profile cases and high net worth divorce settlements. As expert family law and dispute solicitors,we also have experience in handling international family matters regarding divorce, international adoption, and child abduction. You can count on the expertise of our divorce law solicitors and connections to aid you in legal matters beyond the UK jurisdiction.
We are discreet, diligent, and dedicated. We integrate our expertise with compassion to help you get through these testing times.
Family Law Services
What We Do
We offer a wide variety of family law services and sub-services to provide comprehensive solutions for you & your family
Unmarried Couples: Cohabitation & Pre-Nuptial Agreements
Cohabitation Agreements
Unmarried couples do not enjoy the same rights as married couples, or those in civil partnerships. That means you are not legally obligated to divide assets and finances after the split.
Without legal advice, the separation could get overwhelming. This is especially true in situations where you have joint bank accounts, live in the same house, or have children. The matters get more complicated when the couple has offshore accounts and property.
Cohabitation agreements create clear lines between ownership and distribution. They are legal contracts that secure your rights in the relationship. The contract outlines what each person owns and who’s responsible for paying bills. You might also include child maintenance & arrangement beforehand.
Prenuptial Agreements /Postnuptial Agreements
Whether you have significant wealth, inheritance or complicated assets associated with past relationships, you should opt for pre and postnuptial agreements. They can eliminate undefined ownership issues and make you more confident about your marriage.
Prenuptial contracts are a practical way to settle the division of property and financial assets before marriage. That way, you will have lesser legal complications and financial conflicts if you got a divorce. Our family lawyers can draft a detailed contract that features every asset you own or a specialised version that covers the key properties and financial assets.
These contracts are ideal for couples with significant wealth. They allow you to protect your inheritance, prevent any liabilities caused by your spouse’s debts, and to safeguard your children’s future. Others use it to assert a sense of equality when it comes to assets.
Postnuptial agreements follow a similar strategy. The only difference is that you sign the contract after marriage.
Martial Conflicts & Resolution: Divorce & Separation
In the UK, you can file for a divorce by proving that the breakdown of your relationship is irreparable. Reasons for this include unreasonable behaviour such as adultery or abandonment (for a minimum of two years). Couples separated for 2-5 years can also file for a divorce.
Divorce or separation is a crucial decision. Many legal factors involved require a solicitor’s help. The situation gets more complicated if one of the partners lives/works in another country. Owning properties and offshore accounts is another variable that complicates the dynamic.
From a legal point of view, divorce solicitors have to deal with multiple jurisdictions while handling an international divorce. Therefore, you should hire a divorce lawyer who has experience in the area.
For an international divorce, you need to consider:
- The differences in family law between countries
- Settling childcare arrangements and overseas assets according to both English law and international legal systems
- The implication of getting a divorce in the UK as opposed to another country
- Tax implications of transferring funds from overseas accounts
Our divorce solicitors are right for the job. They know how to align your interests with legal technicalities. It includes sorting financial disputes, child custody matters, and division of assets. We also offer moral comfort during this stressful time.
Financial Disputes
Financial conflicts are a common occurrence during divorce and separation. Divorce solicitors deal with this aspect of family law individually. Their main objective is to come up with a fair settlement by assessing the circumstance and each partner’s financial resources.
Factors such as investments, savings, monthly income, pensions, and financial obligations play a pivotal role in the final decision. Prenuptial and postnuptial arrangements also have a significant impact. They simplify certain areas of financial settlements depending on the situation.
Childcare Arrangements: Adoption, Custody & Surrogacy
Our family lawyers offer many different legal services. It includes negotiating childcare arrangements post-divorce. We also cover other legal matters such as adoption, surrogacy, and unjustified child abduction.
Here is an overview of each service
Adoption/International Adoption
Applying for adoption is a milestone moment for any family. It is better to choose a lawyer that understands your circumstances and acts accordingly. That way, you can make an informed decision to safeguard the rights of the child you plan to adopt.
Most clients use adoption agencies within the UK, while others go through international adoption. You need to hire a family lawyer in both scenarios. It allows you to obtain legal parenthood by adhering to family laws related to adoption.
Challenges in this service area include:
- Acquiring consent from living parents (or guardians) of the child
- Meeting all childcare requirements to prove eligibility (e.g. financial stability)
- Considering legal obligations and adhering to foreign rules for international adoption
Making the right decisions can be overwhelming when there is a child involved. We direct you to the best parental routes to ensure that the adoption takes place safely and securely.
Children Custody and Contact Disputes
Our family solicitors negotiate child custody issues and child arrangements after a divorce. The legal matters cover joint custody, access to children, and child maintenance. Some grandparents and stepparents might also hire family lawyers to request regular meetups with the children in question.
We recommend choosing the out-of-court negotiation to settle child arrangements according to your personal preferences. If the situation requires court orders, then we’d be happy to change our approach to match the situation.
There are various kinds of court orders in custody cases.
The main ones include:
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Child arrangement order:
It comprises of decisions made regarding the child’s residence and maintenance (i.e. housing and school fees). The court also decides how much time they get to spend with the other parent. -
Prohibition Order
If your ex-partner fails to abide by court order, you can request the court to revoke their parental rights. Other prohibition orders include relocation, changing the child’s name and resolution for contact disputes. -
Special Court
Orders Some parents might want parental control on where the child studies or their religious upbringing. These details can also be part of aspecific court order.
Lastly, children are often confused and overwhelmed during divorce proceedings. We aim to settle child arrangements swiftly and efficiently to bring normalcy to the child’s life.
International Child Abduction
Child abduction is common amongst families where one parent is unhappy with the custody arrangement. Or, they decide to take matters in their hands without contesting their parental rights in the court. Both actions are illegal and frowned upon by the English law.
We have experience in dealing with cases where a former partner takes the child to another part of the UK or overseas without parental consent. With our expertise in family law and connections within (and outside) the UK, we take all legal actions required to locate the missing child and their parent.
Once located, the team collaborates with local and foreign officials to unite the children with our client. We then renegotiate the previous contract to ensure that this situation does not occur again.
Surrogacy Law
In the UK, the surrogacy law considers the surrogate as the baby’s legal parent. You can claim your parental rights by filing for a parental order. English laws will then grant you the title of legal parenthood of the baby if you are deemed eligible. Basic clauses include your biological relationship with the baby and timely submission of all documents once the baby turns six weeks old.
Before this, you can draft surrogacy arrangements that discuss how intended parents plan to cover the medical expenses during pregnancy. You can also decide whether you can meet the surrogate before the baby is born. It generally revolves around attending doctor’s appointments with her and getting updates on the baby’s health via medical records and ultrasounds.
In both cases, the surrogate’s consent is essential. You need to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and both parties agree with the terms and conditions. Any contract breach could lead to legal complications.
Our family lawyers stay by your side throughout the process. They ensure that you abide by the surrogacy law and file the right documents to receive parental rights.
Personalised Family Law Services
Each family is different from the other. It is why we customise our services and legal advice by assessing your unique situation. We aim to protect your rights and value your feelings as we guide you through this complicated process.
Our family solicitors promise to safeguard your interests throughout this journey.
