Solicitor costs to sort out finances?

[merrilywego]

I went to see a solicitor today about starting divorce proceedings. Apparently the cost is around £500 for paperwork, £410 for court fees and another £750 or so to draw up the consent order.

Anything over and above the basics ie: sorting out finances is at the hourly rate of £230 plus vat. I know it's a piece of string but if you had to go over and above the basic paperwork, how much did it cost you? I'm thinking 6 hours or so max of legal work - letters, meetings etc. Does this sound reasonable?

Also, is it worth spending more on a senior level solicitor if you're not doing collaborative, just traditional negotiation? Would it pay me to do this or am I better saving my money and going for somebody cheaper?

Thanks

[feduptrying2]

Hi , I've done all my own paper work, it's pretty simple and there are some brilliant help sites.
Try to start it yourself the petition is simple and you just pay the £410 court fee.
Check this out:www.moneyanddivorce.co.uk/p/help-with-divorce-process.html?m=1
I'm divorced and it cost me £410!
I competed form E myself (financial remedy) and have now got a solicitor to help with the next step as my ex is a compulsive gambler, has his own business and has not disclosed all his interests. Basically it got to complicated for me.
I'd urge your to do it yourself for as long as you feel comfortable then seek a solicitor for guidance. I personally think it's worth paying someone good as they will work faster and get you results. My solicitor is reducing his fees as he knows how low my income is and most of his clients can pay full wack.
Good luck

[redmapleleaves]

Hi, I'd agree with fedup. My STBXH was violent and abusive and scared me, so I did get a feisty solicitor at the kind of rates you've been quoted. It has cost eyewatering amounts (he was abroad, strung it out, changed jobs so finances changed) even though I tried to keep tabs on it and did first drafts of most things myself and have now taken control back again having run out of money.

So while you could do it quickly with a reasonable partner who is also doing his share, it can take hours and hours if the situatino keeps changing, as mine did.

I was wondering last night which bits I'd get solicitor for:

• initial advice (including quick run through the kind of grounds you could use for initial request for divorce)
  
• once have got form E draft, help looking through that. I would have set my budget/ask far too low without her.
  
• I have welcomed having someone to filter the angry messages/other solicitors shennanings but its come expensive (but worth it)
  
• very very worth it, £1000 for actuary if your other half has much of a pension. As women live longer don't go for 50 50 split of pension funds. Judges accept this.
  
• advice on tactics from someone who has seen it lots/ has good sense of what is possible in your local court - as settlements vary by location
  
• we went via court route and at FDR 2 solicitor has been invaluable
  

My solicitor gave me the card for a counsellor at my first appointment. I went elsewhere but heavy duty counselling twice a week at times helped massively, at a much cheaper rate than a solicitor.

So basically, I do think they are worth it for the expert advice, but for this to work you need to do lots of reading yourself, so you do only ask them for the expert stuff. In particular mine was so used to doing everything she couldn't really help herself leading to lots of aggro.

Good luck. Even at the eyewatering sums I've paid, it will be worth it when the absolute comes through next week, just to be free of an abusive relationship and to have made a move on something which embarrassed me too much to tell good friends, and paralysed me from action.

[redmapleleaves]

ps mine was senior solicitor, specialist in family law, outside London. One of the things to consider is whether or not you will go the court route (which gives you a timetable and free input from a judge) or not. If you go the court route, you either need a senior solicitor who can speak to the judge, or a barrister (massive sums). My solicitor as it turned out, could advocate to the judge, so that saved lots of money my STBXH with smarter solicitors who always used barristers had to pay. (He paid £1000/day for court...)

I'd think in part it depends how complex you things could get. Is it fairly straightforward? Or do you need expert support? We don't have lots of money by any means, but I did need expert, grounded support. I needed to feel confident in her and her tactics and that she got me and my priorities, and am grateful to have had that.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

A lot will depend on how cooperative your ex is. Sadly mine is non-cooperative so at two years from start of process I only have a decree nisi and have spent just shy of £8K in legal fees.
I always knew he was going to be tricky so went for fairly hard core solicitors and half way through switched within the firm so to be seen as upping my ante.

[feduptrying2]

If you are on a low income it is worth applying to the: www.barprobono.org.uk
you need a referral from an advice agency but would be really helpful if you get to first appointment and FDR ( financial dispute resolution).
Also checkout large high quality family law companies, some offer free legal advice. I used www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk/services/family_legal_advice_clinic/
The senior partner I saw was brilliant, face me step by step instructions to get me started.