Direct Access Barrister recommendations

[AllTheCs]

Hi. Can anyone recommend a good direct access barrister in and around West Yorkshire/Manchester please? It’s for financial resolution proceedings after divorce.

TIA

@AllTheCs What kind of hearing is it, and when is it?

@Collaborate it’s initially for an FDRH but potentially also a FF hearing.

Don't mean to sound thick, but what are those hearings in the context of financial remedy proceedings? You'll have a first appointment, an FDR hearing and a final hearing usually.

@Collaborate, we’ve had two first appointments due to paperwork being filed late. Questionnaires and answers have been exchanged and the exchange of offers passed without exchange due to information still not being provided. The next court date listed is the FDRH but it’s a complicated case and there may have to be a fact finding hearing and then a final hearing if that makes sense? I’m a LiP so having to learn this stuff as I go along.

Might be a bit on the expensive side to pay for a barrister to be tooled up for an FDR only for it to be adjourned for a finding of fact. Do the other side agree there should be a finding of fact?

Thanks @Collaborate - I hadn’t thought of that. I’m not sure what the other side are thinking on this issue. There is disagreement about the length of cohabitation before the marriage which will make a big difference to the outcome as I understand it. I assumed the judge was likely to order a FF unless we can agree the length of cohabitation?

There won’t be a finding of fact hearing over that. What magnitude of difference is there? Are there any substantial assets that predate the marriage?

I’m claiming cohabitation was 7 years, he’s claiming it was less than a year. The marital property was bought with the sale of his previous home and some inheritance but I helped renovate the property. All assets predate the marriage as we were only married 6 months.

Then I suppose it might be relevant but I suspect your FDR may be a washout if you are both coming at it from different positions and the judge certainly won't be hearing evidence.