Do separating couples need to engage separate divorce lawyers?
The question is one that has been raised increasingly with couples seeking an amicable divorce and the answer from divorce lawyers is increasingly that they do not – at least in the UK.
UK Law firms can offer single lawyer divorce agreements for couples who want an amicable divorce and also wish to save money and achieve a fast result.
National UK law firm Simpson Millar has launched a divorce law service for just such clients with partner Lorraine Harvey saying the ‘Separating Together’ service was all part of a trend towards less stressful divorces and will grow further with the UK move towards no-fault divorces in April 2022.
The services is faster and less expensive than the typical ‘two lawyer’ divorce, completed in two to three months, and Simpson Millar indicate that they can provide fixed fees or the usual hourly fee basis.
Last year UK family lawyers group Resolution predicted a future where lawyers acted for both sides of divorces on a routine basis with divorce lawyers acting for both parties being something that firms like Withers have offered along with others.
One of the major concerns with such actions is whether there was a conflict of interest in divorce lawyers acting for both parties in the split, but a UK High Court decision has said that such conflicts did not exist in these circumstances.
After an initial assessment by the law firm couples need to sign a declaration committing themselves to an amicable divorce and the process with new single lawyer divorces was now proceeding.
