A family lawyer is someone who can be of great help to most citizens. If at least one of these instances doesn’t apply to you in your lifetime, you’ll be the exception to the rule. Family law or child custody lawyers isn’t just about arguing custody, although that is a part of it. We’re going over the many reasons you might consider hiring a family lawyer. 

Divorce

This is the first thing that is likely to come to mind when you think of a family lawyer. Divorces are notoriously messy, no matter how amicable you would like to be about it, so it’s important to get a lawyer that you trust to ensure a fair parting. If things don’t escalate too much you can have your family lawyer represent both of you and settle the financial agreements, separation agreements, or the splitting of assets acquired while you were married. Find divorce lawyers in London here. 

Pre-nuptial and pre-cohabitation agreements

A pre-nuptial agreement acts as a protection for your finances and assets should a marriage break down. It is designed to streamline the divorce’s finer details of splitting everything up since everything is already agreed, and it acts as protection if one side of the couple has substantially more income and assets.

And then there are pre-cohabitation agreements. Think of this as a pre-nuptial agreement without the nuptial aspect. A pre-nup for couples looking to just move in together. The point of that time together is to see if you can handle living together before getting married, typically, so it makes sense to protect yourself and all your valuables before you go in and protect yourself should there be a dispute about items bought while cohabiting. It also covers childcare and financial costs, so no one side of the coparenting couple are left with the full responsibility.

Either way, it’s important to have a lawyer look over the agreement before you propose it or sign it to ensure everything is airtight. 

Custody

The one thing that makes separating a lot more messy is, of course, the children. Who the children are better off with rarely gets agreed without dispute. One parent puts up the money, the other the emotional support. One parent lives next to their children’s current school, the other next to a better school with a better education, etc. 

This is a matter for a family lawyer so that things don’t get too heated. With a family lawyer you can negotiate visitation rights, financial maintenance, etc. without anyone getting too upset. It might even be best if you leave that up to your lawyer to act as a messenger between the two parties. 

Adoption

On the happier side of family law, there are those that represent adoptive parents. If you are considering adoption, whether because you’d rather go down the route of adoption or you’ve become particularly close to a child who needs a home, you’re going to need a family lawyer. 

Adoption comes with a lot of paperwork and the process takes years to complete. You need to gather evidence on your health, your financial history, your marital history, and more. All of that your family lawyer can handle and get you your little one to take home. 

Making a will

Family lawyers are also important when making or disputing a will. A will can secure your home, money and personal possessions, making sure they get to the right people. 

But even before you get to that point you might consider a family lawyer to help you gain power of attorney. If someone you love might see a future where they cannot look after themselves, they can entrust all their financial decisions to you.