The best advice at an emotionally difficult time
Our Family lawyers, based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Shetland, but covering the whole of Scotland, have expertise in all areas of family law and will help you through a difficult time with sensitivity and objectivity.
Divorce and separation can have a huge impact on both yours and your family's lives and you will understandably want to know the financial and practical consequences of any decisions you are considering making.
When working with us, many people are surprised to hear there are more options available than they originally thought. The options available range from litigation and arbitration to negotiation, mediation and collaboration. We will discuss matters with you and decide upon the appropriate way of solving your problems. Whether it is in relation to the welfare of your children and the status of the matrimonial home, the impact on a business that's jointly or individually owned, or your financial situation, we will help you through a difficult time and allow you to progress with your life.
Call us now and after our discussion with you, our solicitors will give their advice on how best to resolve your situation and the options available.
Glasgow: 0141 227 9545
Edinburgh: 0131 247 2556
Inverness & Highlands: 01463 795 035
Shetland: 01595 695 583
Our Family law services
- Divorce & Separation
- Pre and postnuptial agreements to protect assets prior & during marriage
- The welfare of children, including custody issues, contact & residence issues
- Financial consequences of separation and divorce
- Advice for business owners
- Co-habitation agreements (for couples who wish to regulate the financial aspects of their living arrangement outwith marriage)
- Adoption services
- Child relocation
- Cases in Sheriff Court & Court of Session
- Civil partnerships
- Cohabitee rights under the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006
- Mediation & collaboration
- Negotiating minutes of agreement and separation agreements
- Pension sharing
How much will it cost?
We understand that the affordability of legal fees is an important issue and discuss costs with our clients from the outset. Every case is different and it is not always clear at the beginning what will require to be done, so as to give an accurate estimate of the final costs.
In most cases fees are based on the time spent on the case and the solicitor's hourly rate, which varies from firm to firm and also in relation to a solicitor's experience. We are not registered to provide advice under the legal aid scheme.
Give us a call and we will be able to give you a free initial chat about your case and possible future costs.
Packaged fees:
To try to remove some of that uncertainty we have designed a number of packages which, in certain circumstances, will let you know from the outset what the costs will be.
The areas where we offer packaged fees* include:
- Initial advice
- Simplified divorce
- Undefended divorce
- Minutes of agreement
- Mediation services
- Pre/Post nuptial agreements
- Co-habitation agreements
* Certain exclusions may apply. Your solicitor will be able to discuss and explain. Terms will be issued in writing.
Our Family Law Team is recognised in the UK's leading independent legal directories, Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession and The Legal 500, where our Team is recognised as having "Recommended Lawyers" and "Leaders in the Field" in the area of Family Law.
Our Family Law team
The Harper Macleod Family law team consists of four partners, three associates, two solicitors and additional support staff, covering the whole of Scotland.
The ethos of the department is to try to provide the client with the area of expertise that is most appropriate to their situation. In many cases, fees are charged on a time basis but the team also provide "packaged" fees and are happy to discuss the level of fees with every new client.
We are trained and qualified in a number of key family law areas: Jenny Smith, Karen Gibbons and Amanda Masson are accredited Family Law Specialists, Amanda Masson is an accredited Family Law Mediator and also accredited in Child Law. In addition, Amanda Masson, Jenny Smith, Karen Gibbons and Alexis Miller are all trained in collaborative law.
As one of the largest teams delivering personal legal services in Scotland, our experience and approachable lawyers can handle all types of enquiries. Offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Lerwick and Thurso ensure that we are on hand, no matter where you are, to discuss your wishes. Some of our local lawyers on hand are, Nadine Martin & Lynsey Brown (Glasgow), Claire Christie (Edinburgh & Shetland), rising star Grant Hassan (Inverness & Highlands) and Jenni Gear (Shetland).
Give us a call for a free initial chat about your case and possible future costs.
Glasgow: 0141 227 9545
Edinburgh: 0131 247 2556
Inverness & Highlands: 01463 795 035
Shetland: 01595 695 583
The Family law team attracts praise for its "dedicated and empathetic assistance on family law matters".
THE LEGAL 500 2018
I want to thank you for your help in getting me to this stage. Your great support and advice really kept me focused on the task in hand and I really appreciate that.
HM Client
Thank you so much for all your assistance with my case. It gave me great peace of mind to have legal counsel I knew I could rely on.
HM Client
The Brief magazine - guide to personal legal services
The Brief magazine is your guide to personal legal services at Harper Macleod. The magazine aims to keep you in touch with current legal issues that are important to you - the law seldom stays the same for long and we believe that it's important for everyone to be kept advised on the changes that can affect both you and your families.
You can view and download the current edition by clicking here.
We hope you find the magazine useful and informative, and please don't hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team should you have any issues you'd like to discuss further with us.
More from Harper Macleod
Why choose us?
You don't need a lawyer - not many law firms will tell you that. What you need is someone to provide a solution, and our advisors are dedicated and flexible enough to do just that.
Personal legal services
With one of Scotland's largest teams dealing with personal legal matters, we have specialist knowledge for every stage of your life - from buying a house to protecting your assets.
Awards
We are one of Scotland's leading, most successful law firms but you don't have to take our word for it. Our performance has consistently been recognised by our peers.