Family Law Fees

At Chris Alexander Solicitors we believe Access to Legal Advice and Assistance is a right that every individual should enjoy. Our Professional Fees are affordable and tailored to our clients’ particular needs.

Our firm has a Legal Aid contract so we are able to offer Legal Aid to eligible individuals in relation to private or public family law cases.

 

Legal Aid is available for public family law cases, such as care proceedings, and in private family law cases for victims of domestic abuse. 

To check if you qualify for Legal Aid please visit the gov.uk eligibility calculator: https://civil-eligibility-calculator.justice.gov.uk/

Legal Aid is available to all parents where there is a risk of their children being taken into care by the Local Authority.

We offer fixed fee arrangements where appropriate and this could be in the form of a single fixed fee, stage by stage fixed fee or an instalment basis fixed fee. For fixed fee arrangements, payment must be made fully at the outset, unless a separate arrangement for the payment has been agreed. 

Our professional fixed fees for family law cases are set out below:

Work

Fees (+ 20% VAT)

Uncontested Divorce  (Petitioner)

£650

Uncontested Divorce (Respondent)

£250

Uncontested Dissolution (Petitioner)

£650

Uncontested Dissolution (Respondent)

£250

Uncontested Judicial Separation (Petitioner)

£650

Uncontested Judicial Separation (Respondent)

£250

Review and advise on agreement, preparing and filing of consent order with Family Court

£500

Children Disputes – Negotiating Agreement

£500

Children Disputes – Preparing Application to Issue Proceedings

£450

Children Disputes – Legal Representation at First Court Hearing

£500

Financial Disputes – Drafting Consent Documentation and Provisions of Agreement reached

£400

Financial Disputes – Preparation of application to issue proceedings for a financial order and preparation of court documents to prepare for the first court appointment hearing

£500

Unless you are eligible for legal aid funding, we charge an initial fixed consultation fee of £100 (+ 20% VAT) during which we can provide you with an initial assessment of your circumstances and prospects of success and likely compensation if successful. We will advise you on the law and the way forward in relation to your matter. 

If your matter needs progression in Children and Financial Disputes, a further fixed fee package will be discussed and agreed with you before any work commences. The tailored fee package will take account of your individual circumstances and complexity of your case.

Our fees include (as applicable to your matter):

  • Taking your full instructions, perusing your documents and advising you on the merits  
  • Attendance upon you, advising in relation to your matter, discussing suitable options available and agreeing a course of action
  • Preparation of a detailed advice note
  • Preparation of a divorce petition and accompanying documentation required to issue the divorce proceedings
  • Filing the divorce documentation with the court
  • Completing and filing application in respect of decree nisi
  • Completing and filing application in respect of decree absolute
  • Negotiation and advice on pre-litigation (Family Mediation) to explore whether a agreement can be reached
  • Preparing the response in litigations against you
  • Reviewing and advising on response from the other party
  • Preparing for and attending First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA) and any Case Management Hearing
  • Liaison with Cafcass and other services in Children Matters
  • Preparing the bundle of documents for the Final Hearing
  • Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
  • Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including preparing instructions to the barrister

Our fees do not include the following services:

  • Disbursements, for example expert costs, court fees or barrister fees 
  • Divorce proceedings with an international element
  • Unknown whereabouts of respondent
  • Un-cooperative respondent and failure to return the acknowledgement of service form
  • Personal service via a process server required
  • Unavailable marriage certificate or any costs associated in obtaining a duplicate
  • Any matters arising in relation to children issues
  • Any matters arising in relation to the financial aspects of the divorce
  • Cost of subsequent appeal rights or other family court applications
  • Change or additional instructions exceeding original instruction

Disbursements

You will be required to pay any expenses paid or to be paid to a third party in the conduct of your matter (including any VAT element), except office expenses such as postage and courier fees.

Such expenses are usually called disbursements and you will be required to pay them directly to the relevant third party (other person or body) directly.

Barrister Fees: We expect the barrister’s fee to come between £800 – £2,500 per day (plus 20% VAT), however, we have little control over this fee and the cost can vary quite widely depending on the complexity and stage of your case. It also depends on the chambers from which your barrister is selected and their seniority or experience. We will advise you of the name and status of the barrister(s) that we will be recommending and so you will have a say in who represents you and the costs you incur.

Experts: Costs for medical experts are variable depending on the complexity of your case. The likely costs for an expert range from £250 – £1,200 per hour (plus 20% VAT).
Our firm is VAT registered and our fees therefore attract 20% VAT.   

For further advice and information on our fees in family law matters, contact us on 02085944469 or email us at info@chrisalexsolicitors.com.