Family Law

Curious about how long a divorce takes, what your financial rights are, or whether there are alternatives to divorce?

We’re shining a spotlight on the people behind our Family Law team in the Leicester and Market Harborough offices.  

If you’re going through a family dispute, especially one involving your children, you might be worried about the cost of legal help. The good news? Legal aid could cover your legal fees if you meet certain criteria.

When legal issues involve children, emotions can run high and the path forward may feel uncertain. Whether you’re facing a dispute over child arrangements, involvement from social services, or concerns about a child’s welfare, it can be difficult to know where to turn.

What happens to the family home, an inheritance, or a gifted property when a marriage ends? A landmark ruling from the UK Supreme Court in Standish v Standish (2 July 2025) has just reshaped how courts decide what’s fair when dividing assets in divorce.

Gabriella Kent, Family Law Solicitor based at Rothera Bray’s Nottingham office explores the concept of parental responsibility: who automatically has it, how to obtain it if you don’t, and how to handle disagreements that may arise when exercising it.

If you’re living with your partner but you’re not married or in a civil partnership, you might assume you have the same legal rights as a spouse, especially when it comes to the family home. But this is one of the biggest misconceptions in family law.

In the first article in our People Focus series, we’re excited to feature Associate Solicitor Charley Kelly. Charley is an integral part of our Family Law team and is based at our Leicester office.

One of the most challenging aspects of any separation is deciding who gets what, and how to make those decisions legally binding. Whether it’s the family home, pensions, savings, or other assets, reaching a fair financial settlement is crucial for moving forward with confidence and clarity.

With the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 – which governs marriage and divorce law in the UK and Wales – now 50 years old, a review has been commissioned. The review is to find out whether this legislation is still useful in helping the Courts and the Judiciary reach fair settlements for divorcing couples – or whether it’s time for an overhaul.

In recent years applications to Court by grandparents have become increasingly common. Sadly, when relationships break down, especially acrimoniously, it often affects who the children can spend time with.

With the family courts facing unrelenting backlogs due to the number of separating couples attempting to reach a settlement in court, in 2023 the government launched a consultation to determine whether mediation should be made compulsory for all ‘suitable low-level’ family court cases.