Unbundling or unravelling?

The new buzz word of the moment in some legal circles is "unbundling" but could it all lead to matters "unravelling"?

The concept essentially is to offer clients the option of doing parts of the work themselves and paying a Solicitor either for discreet pieces of work or defined parts of a matter.

I can certainly see the benefit to the client in terms of limiting costs but I do think both sides need to be careful that matters don't end up more complicated with the case suffering as a result.

This idea is being discussed over a number of different areas of law but I shall focus on family law, as it is the one I am more familiar with.

Take Divorce as an example. What I mean by that is what lawyers refer to as the "main suit", the paper-process that takes a person from "married" to "divorced". Often misunderstood by clients as encompassing all issues, finances and children as well.

That process is fairly straightforward - yes there are some points that need to be discussed/negotiated but if a Divorce is to proceed undefended i.e. no answer filed by the Respondent (which is not the same as someone disputing what is said about their behaviour but nevertheless agreeing that the marriage has come to an end) then the reality is that the process is defined and why should we not, as lawyers, be able to offer a fixed fee or "unbundled" service to clients?

The level of fixed fee will depend on how much work a client wants to undertake themselves. I know, if i am to do all of the drafting for a client, what is involved and how long it will take me. If a client is being guided by me but undertaking the drafting themselves then there is less certainty about how much input they will need from me in terms of the paperwork.

There has been much discussion about how we can tell whether a client is capable of undertaking the necessary work, how much they understand and whether them undertaking work themselves may put other aspects of the case in jeopardy - that may well be relevant if the client is left to their own devices, entirely unguided or perhaps in other areas.

My view is that each client has a particular relationship with their lawyer and lawyers should be sufficiently adept at client care and client contact to establish a good relationship with each of their clients. It is a matter for discussion between the Solicitor and client as to how work is divided and whether indeed the client wants to do any of the work themselves.

I have had no difficulty with clients opting for our "Guided Divorce". I am clear with them at the outset about our respective responsibilities in terms of paperwork etc. and understand from their feedback that the option of controlling costs by undertaking the preparation of papers themselves has been helpful. Clients feel that they are able to work this way because they know that they have my guidance throughout.

In terms of other matters, I can see that it may be difficult to "unbundle" financial negotiations for example or negotiations concerning child arrangements.

That is twofold, to ask a Solicitor to work on a discreet piece of work, perhaps the preparation of a statement for example, can in fact be counterproductive - the Solicitor will not have been privy to the detail of negotiations and will be unable to advise in the round to ensure that all areas are covered and that the client understands their position and any risks that they face.

This causes a difficulty for lawyers, who are inherently risk averse, because we feel that we are left open to suggestions that we have not fully advised the client about the various possible outcomes or their risks, that there might be some claim raised against us etc. etc.

In addition, fixing a fee for negotiations is difficult because the length and depth of work is an unknown at the outset.

That said, I can see no reason why costs for defined stages of proceedings cannot be set in bands with detailed information given about what that "band" involves. That leaves the client clear about the level of costs that they will incur up to a certain point and allows the Solicitor to work on the matter throughout and not piecemeal, which satisfies us as regards our duty to fully advise etc. etc.

I think the reality is that decisions as to whether firms operate this way going forward will be business decisions and the level of fixed fees, "unbundling" or banded fees will need to be carefully assessed and clear letters to clients detailing the extent of the work being undertaken by the firm and by the client respectively.

The legal landscape is changing, fast, and I do think that more flexibility is required and will be demanded by clients - perhaps especially after the 1st April.

This is a brave new world of legal services but who will have the courage?

Legal Aid Cuts fast approaching

Wow, February has totally past me by I’m afraid – hence the lack of any blog posts – apologies.

Recently, I have been amazed about the lack of understanding that there is generally by the public about the forthcoming cuts to legal aid and what that will mean for couples separating after 1^st April.

I am often asked by friends, family and professional contacts “how work is going” and I have spoken with people recently about the challenges that family law as a whole will face in the coming months/years.

More often than not, people are surprised to hear that from April there will no longer be legal aid available for family law matters, save where there has been Domestic Violence – subject to the client being able to provide the necessary evidence of that – or for Care proceedings.

This was hit upon in the press when it was initially proposed but seems to have been lost amongst other news and has not been highlighted for some time now.

Essentially it means that the vast majority of separating and divorcing couples will no longer be able to access legal aid to fund their matters.  It is estimated that this will be about 85% of those cases currently benefitting from legal aid.

It will mean that for couples facing separation or Divorce where there has been no Domestic Violence that they face some stark decisions about how to progress with their Divorce or Separation.

These may be couples with many assets, no assets but a lot of debt, couples facing disputes over the arrangements for their children or any other situation in between.

To represent yourself, perhaps especially in cases concerning arrangements for the children but equally in cases involving the division of marital assets, is stressful and frightening. Whilst a Judge will be available to manage the Court process and explain some of the procedure to couples once proceedings have started it is not the Court’s job to present any one party’s case or advise about the merits of their arguments. Outside of the Court process people may feel entirely alone and unsupported.

In the event that one party has resources to fund legal representation and the other does not, it can leave an imbalance in power in terms of negotiations and is likely to see many more cases progressing to Court proceedings and thereafter to contested final hearings, as a result of negotiations being ineffective.

The Family Courts have principles and checklists to follow both in terms of cases involving children and those concerning the division of marital assets. Add to that the volume of case law, some of which binds and some which informs the Court’s decisions, and it is easy to see that the self-representing litigant may come unstuck.

So…what are the other options:

1.      Research

There are a number of online resources available now that will explain the process of Divorce and the issues that you will need to consider on Separation. You may undertake some research and go it alone.

Consider – a lot of these resources provide only brief information about the paper process of Divorce and fail to fully explain important issues around finances or child arrangements.

Be wary of advice from friends or people down the pub – they may be well-meaning but frequently have their own perceptions or experiences colouring their view.

2.      Mediation

To be invested in heavily by the government over the coming years, Family Mediation is a process whereby couples attend joint sessions with an independent Mediator to discuss the various issues faced on separation – try to resolve their financial affairs and try to agree arrangements for the children

Legal aid remains available for Family Mediation if you pass the financial assessment. You may self-refer or be referred through a Solicitor.

Consider – if you are not eligible for legal aid then you will have to pay for each session of Mediation, although this is often more cost effective than full blown negotiations through Solicitors and can help narrow the issues.

Even if you reach agreement through Mediation, you will need legal advice to ensure that your agreement is legally binding – the Mediator will be able to point you in the right direction and look out for Partnership Schemes between Solicitors and Mediators that will fix fees for you – there is one in Worcester for example.

3.      Middle ground

Some Solicitors offer a middle ground option in terms of Divorce proceedings which will see you doing some of the form filling and correspondence yourself whilst you are guided through by the Solicitor dealing with your case.

This has the advantages of you being certain of your next steps but controlling the costs. Your Solicitor will also be able to advise you about any ancillary issues so that you are clear on your option.

Consider  – there will be a cost to this option but it should be less than asking a Solicitor to fully manage your Divorce proceedings – expect to pay about £350-£400 + VAT and Court fees of £385.

4.      Free initial consultations

Useful and offered by most Solicitors now, this initial form of consultation should allow you to gain some information about procedure and the important issues in your particular case. It is more tailored to you then generic information that you may find online and you can access it without obligation

Consider - it may leave you informed but more concerned about representing yourself going forward. Frequently people who attend to see me for an initial consultation feel clearer on the issues and their options but feeling that they will need support and guidance going forward. That is not really a bad thing, better to be informed early on.

5.      Instruct a Solicitor

The plus side to this of course is that you will have a legal professional guiding you through the minefield that can be Divorce, someone to support you and protect your best interests and someone to advise you about which of your arguments are strongest and which are perhaps fuelled by your emotions.

You may wish to consider instructing a Collaborative Solicitor, and follow the Collaborative law process.

Consider – there is clearly a cost to instructing a Solicitor but you should be provided with detailed cost estimates at the outset and updated about any costs throughout.

Several Solicitors now offer fixed fee packages or banded costs – so that you know what your costs will be at each stage of the process. You may also be able to agree a capped fee with your Solicitor at the outset.

There may be sources of funding open to you and there are a couple of organisations that offer loans to cover the cost of financial negotiations and proceedings on Divorce. Be sure to take financial advice and be clear on the terms of any loan.

Whichever option is chosen, Divorce is a difficult and stressful time for all involved, if possible choose an option that will help you minimise the strain.

Costs and control in Divorce

So February is nearly upon us, scary - one month down!

I have struggled this month with diet, exercise and all the new year resolution type things that I was to do but all of that pales into insignificance when I meet new clients struggling with all of that, normal life, children and the prospect of a separation.

Many have been happy that finally they have felt able to do something about the feelings that they have harboured for a long time but even when people have plucked up that courage and taken that step they find themselves trying to deal with a process that is alien to them and the costs that come with it.

I have read in several places over the last month or so that Divorce costs £10,000+ (I have seen that as a statement in itself with no qualification about the level of assets or complexity of the case).

Now whilst I accept that there are some cases that are complex or very contested and which attract alot of legal costs, there are many more that are relatively straightforward and that should not attract anywhere near that amount. It worries me to think that there are people who will shy away from getting the legal advice they need to make an informed decision because of scaremongering about costs.

There is a cost, of course, to obtaining specialist legal advice on Divorce - much as there is a cost to having your car fixed or taking financial advice - but there is also a value to that advice - be it in peace of mind, protection of assets or security for the future.

People going through the process of separation or divorce want control, they want fairness and they want to feel that they are not lost and that they have direction - that is fine but often the sticking point is cost.

In late 2012 I entered a Mediation Partnership with Mediation Worcestershire, along with a few other Solicitors in the area. The concept is that people who attend Mediation to resolve their differences but who naturally require legal advice at some point in that process, will be able to turn to members of the Partnership for that advice at a fixed cost.

The aim is to make sure that couples who are separating have the benefit of control through the Mediation process with access to the specialist legal advice that they need at a cost that is clear.

I am imensely pleased that as a profession as a whole we are trying to ensure that access to legal advice remains open and never will this be more important than post April 2013, when the availability of legal aid for family law cases will be abolished, save for those cases involving Domestic Violence or Care issues.

I know that there is a cost to bear for legal advice but I hope that as this year progresses people do not leave themselves counting the cost of not having had it!

Irreconcilable Differences?

Several clients of mine have recently spoken to me about divorcing on the basis of “irreconcilable differences” and even one of my colleagues mentioned the concept (his area is not family law).

I was forced to explain to all that the only ground for divorce in England and Wales is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. I also explained that this ground must be supported by one of several “facts” – behaviour, adultery, 2 years separation with the other’s consent, desertion or 5 years separation.

Whilst going through the explanations and answering the questions that ensued, it stuck me that their misconception about the divorce process and the ground for divorce in this country had almost certainly come from watching US dramas/reading articles about celebrity divorces in the papers – almost all of which mention one party “citing irreconcilable differences”. Fine if you are divorcing in the US.

Of course no-one should or would have reason to know the ins and outs of the divorce process in this country unless they were practising family law or had been through the process before but it did make me wonder where people seek out information when they are faced with separation or divorce – especially given that these clients were adamant that the information was correct and that their planned course of action was the right one.

At such an important and emotionally charged time in their lives, are clients prepared to avoid UK solicitors at all costs and instead rely on pieces of information picked up from friends, TV, the media etc.

I can only say what I said when faced with those clients and my colleague – you wouldn’t have a look around online to obtain bits of information and then have a go at extracting a tooth, plumbing in a bathroom or fixing a car – at the very least you would obtain some expert advice.

It is perhaps our fault as a profession that we have not appeared approachable enough, have not educated sufficiently and have not done enough to change the perception that people have about the costs involved.

That is surely now coming to an end with the entrance of ABS and certainly costs and accessibility are becoming a point of difference between firms.

Fixed fee options, free initial consultations, DIY divorce packs, factsheets etc. are all services we have developed to educate people and enable them to regain control of costs and action at a time when most feel that they are spiralling out of control.

I believe that many in the profession are doing what they can to make access to information and advice easier and less intimidating for clients but, for things to get better, there must be some change of culture… some general consensus that it is better to obtain expert advice before taking action and that Solicitors are not all smoke and mirrors and actually have some expert knowledge and value to give.

Without that change, I fear that people will continue to shy away from seeing a Solicitor and take action on the basis of the piecemeal (often incorrect) information that they pick up or are given by well-meaning friends – lessons might be learnt when things go wrong and legal advice and action is needed to right it but that is far too late and can be more costly in the long run.

So…. don’t struggle alone or worry about what you are or are not doing….contact Solicitors’ firms and I am prepared to bet that the majority will offer free initial consultations or a fixed fee initial appointment….get the correct legal advice before taking action and ask solicitors whether they do fixed fee services….some already do and in the long run I suspect that this will become more common.

Adultery & Divorce

I was thinking about this issue the other day, after a client had mentioned to me that she had discovered that her husband had been sending less than appropriate messages to another women and that she had plans to arrange for him to be “caught out” by effectively turning up at his hotel room door.

I advised her to stay well clear of any hotel room doors and there was certainly enough other aspects of his behaviour that she could use to formulate a Petition, which was the course she was set on.

In the end she conceded and agreed that however strong and indignant she felt now, that would soon be forgotten when she was faced with the reality.

But it led me to thinking about adultery in the context of Divorce proceedings and whether it’s worth it – not the adultery (which almost never is!) but relying on it to issue proceedings.

Don’t get me wrong, certainly there may well be times when there has been no other “behaviour” to rely upon and adultery may well be the only feasible option or where it might be important to prove adultery – perhaps for some cultural reason or where a pre-nuptial agreement might be affected.

The majority of cases, however, will involve some other behaviour by the Respondent, perhaps a distancing from family life, a lack of affection or physical relationship, a lack of emotional support etc.  The behaviour might well be as a result of the Respondent conducting an extra marital affair (not always!) but all of it can be used to issue a Petition based on behaviour and not adultery.

But why is that better.....well adultery must be proven or admitted in order for a Divorce to progress on that basis. If the Respondent is not likely to co-operate in proceedings and actively admit his/her adultery then proof it will have to be.

The sexual act of adultery is what must be proven – an inappropriately close relationship is not sufficient! That makes it very difficult (and costly) to prove – not least in terms of emotional cost.

So is it necessary to rely on adultery…..sometimes tactically and sometimes morally but my advice would always be to consider another option, especially if your spouse is not likely to co-operate!

The Divorce Hotel – where checking in can lead to a quick exit?

Already up and running in 6 “high-end” hotels in the Netherlands the “Divorce Hotel” concept may be making its way to our shores in early 2013 if its creator has his way.

The idea is that couples wanting to separate amicably and quickly check in on a Friday (into separate rooms!) and over the course of the weekend negotiate their marital finance settlement, children issues and Divorce with the help of mediators and lawyers, who are provided as part of the flat fee package (I shall leave aside the issues about how experienced the lawyers may be – vis a vis fitting it all into a fixed package, the choice of lawyer and whether the client can work with them etc. etc.)

I understand that 17 couples have tried this concept in the Netherlands and all but 1 have apparently been successful in their attempts to negotiate settlement and leave all but divorced at check out on the Sunday.

Also understood is that couples who apply to go to the Divorce Hotel are screened beforehand to rate their chances of success with only 1 in 3 being accepted. Taken with the reports that the creator of the concept is negotiating with television companies in the U.S to launch a reality series, the cynic in me wonders whether the screening has more to do with the perceived success of the concept than any genuine attempt to identify couples who would do more damage to each other and any children as a result of their inability to negotiate.

That aside, I wonder whether this kind of service is what the British public want or need.

I understand that the concept came about as a result of its creator having witnessed what by all accounts was the stressful and acrimonious divorce of his college friend. The driving motivation is to reduce hostility between the parties and deal with matters quickly for a fixed fee but the implication appears to be that if couples choose the more traditional route of instructing their own solicitors, they are somehow going to become more hostile and matters will be dragged out for months at a vast cost.

I am painfully aware of the perception that the general public have about the legal profession but I do think that there are a great number of family law solicitors who want to do the best for their clients and who offer an excellent service. Of course there is a cost to the service, expertise and knowledge provided by solicitors but, when you consider the often complex nature of the assets being dealt with and the fact that we are talking about people’s future security and balance that against the costs, I don’t consider those excessive.

Add to that the increasing number of fixed fee arrangements for Solicitors’ services and the availability of Mediation already on Divorce and Separation and I wonder what the Divorce Hotel is offering in addition.

Of course it offers luxury surroundings and the promise that matters will be resolved over the course of a weekend but is the luxury enough to prevent parties feeling pressured.

I know that parties make their “booking” with the best of intentions to remain amicable and reach agreement but I cannot believe that they will have really thought through every issue that is likely to be touched upon or discussed. I can’t believe that at some point relations won’t become fractured, perhaps as a result of the other raising a point that they hadn’t considered before – what then of the 48 hour timescale?

Also of concern is that parties don’t have sufficient time to process the information and think through their decisions – even traditional Mediation allows significant time to make sure that parties have advice and are able to process information. My experience of clients tells me that they, even those who have been separated for some time, are emotional about the process of Divorce or Separation and this impacts enormously on their decision making abilities.

I cannot imagine that the number of major decisions that would be needed, to deal with financial settlements and issues concerning children, could be made properly in 48 hours – irrespective of the intentions of the parties to remain amicable.

Can this be the pressure that people want on their Divorce?

Of course, it might be that the couples’ financial arrangements are simple and there are no children involved – meaning less major decisions to be made but, if that is the case, why bother with the hotel stay, why not discuss matters together or with the help of mediation services already available – why not do some of the paperwork for the Divorce yourself or with the guidance of a Solicitor to speed things up or cut costs.

I have no doubt that, as we progress through this year and into next, separating couples will be bombarded with different options and different service providers, all vying to deal with their matters – be those online services, Co-op legal services, fixed price packages (of varying quality and degree), national umbrella brands or the Divorce Hotel model.

To have options is good – no one option will suit all people – but what you must be clear on when facing such issues as Divorce and financial negotiations is your priorities and emotions. Only being aware of both will lead you down the route most appropriate for you.

New Age law

The legal market has long been behind other, more commercial, markets in evolving and developing to meet clients’ (dare I say customers’) needs and to a point we have been restricted until relatively recently in terms of advertising etc.

More restrictive, however, has been our habit of clinging to “the way that we have always done it” – I speak of the mystique of hourly rates, rafts of paperwork and a reliance on being the “family solicitor”.

For a time, the people working in the law have dictated the way the market works but that is changing – both as a result of consumer demands and frustrations and as a result of legislative changes - bringing into the mix ABS (Alternative Business Structures/Co-op Law etc.) and removing the public’s recourse to Legal Aid.

It is not the quality of advice or service that has been provided previously that is the issue - and I am proud to be part of a profession who on the whole provide very high quality in that regard - but it is the way in which the advice/service is delivered and the “givens” that legal professionals have been able to rely upon previously that are changing.

In this “New age” legal market how are we to respond?

This is now the question that many law firms are facing – how do they deliver their high quality service and advice in a way that matches consumer expectations and demands and how do they manage that and the sometimes competing demands of the business itself.

Some Challenges…

Lawyers understand the hourly rate and are comfortable with it as a concept but in a world of uncertainty, and especially in situations where solicitors are required, customers want certainty – they want to know at the outset how much it will all cost.

That is sometimes very difficult to achieve without over estimating (with the result of the customer either not taking action or feeling even worse about their situation) or under estimating (leaving the business at risk of losing revenue).

In the “instant response” world that we now live in, security of client information is an increasing issue and lawyers must balance that with the variety of ways that consumers now expect to be able to communicate with their solicitor (e-mail, text, smartphones, Skype etc.) People may also now expect instant advice but that must be balanced with the need for the Solicitor to allow proper time to consider the issues in hand – negligent, inaccurate or incomplete advice is not what anybody wants.

The current economic climate doesn’t help matters – just as a double dip recession is announced consumers will be reluctant to take time out of their working day to take advice – preferring instead to see solicitors out of hours or on their own time.  Employer firms will have to consider lone working policies, flexible working hours and remote working amongst other issues.

Consumers will also be more mindful of their spending – perhaps delaying taking action that would incur costs or seeking out a cut price service. This might be a false economy and the concern must be that more costly action might be required to rectify problems down the line as a result – coming full circle to the above challenges!

But Wait….

Whilst this change in the legal market will undoubtedly be challenging it must surely also been seen as quite an exciting opportunity.

Lawyers are taught to think creatively by nature – it’s all in the application and interpretation – so I see this next phase in legal services as an opportunity to do just that – be creative about how services are delivered.

In fact, it has been quite liberating to have to think outside the box in that area and developing new ways of working and new fee structures has been high on my list of recent activity.

Yes, there will be serious questions to be answered and, yes, it will be uncomfortable for some but the profession has long been criticised for being closed, opaque and difficult to deal with – we’ve all heard the stereotypes about costs, lawyers making matters more difficult and generally being unapproachable – now’s our chance to change that image (inaccurate as it may be).

I’m sure also that I’m not alone in saying that one of the reasons that I decided to embark on a career in the law was to help people through some really difficult problems, achieve fairness or protect them from ever having to encounter those preventable difficulties. It is easy to forget that in day to day practice but here – especially in my practised area, Family Law – is an opportunity to really help people - not in the provision of the advice itself, which I have been doing for some years now, but in the delivery of it.

Going it alone.....the best option?

Thanks largely to the proposed Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill more and more people will find themselves having to consider self-representation in Divorce and Family Law matters.

The concept of DIY Divorce has been around, of course, for some time – with online providers offering clients the opportunity of dealing with the forms themselves and with the whole process at arm’s length – but this change in the legal landscape will mean that people who don’t particularly want to deal with matters themselves or who want to see a Solicitor face to face, may be forced to consider the DIY option.

The Divorce process, admittedly, is largely procedural and whilst there are a few potential pitfalls, the majority of the paperwork required by the Court has been simplified to allow parties to manage the process without the need for legal advice – this is the procedure that many online providers deal with.

Far more complex, however, is the process undertaken to deal with marital finances or in negotiating arrangements for children. The case law, arguments and Family Procedure Rules provide a formidable hurdle for those who are not aware.

Whilst perhaps those couples who have no marital assets and no children may find dealing with the Divorce procedure manageable (albeit that they may fall foul of not dealing with their financial claims and allowing them inadvertently to continue), I can’t help but wonder how those who need to negotiate financial settlement and child contact issues will cope.

There is, of course, Mediation – a really useful tool for those couples who are prepared to attend sessions together and discuss the issues to reach settlement. The government proposes to invest a significant sum of money in Mediation over the next 24 months but I remain concerned that, without independent legal advice, people will be left adrift, trying desperately to sort through their many emotional and financial issues without guidance as regards what issues they should be pursuing, which they should leave and what they can hope to achieve by way of settlement – Mediators are not there to advise either party.

If Mediation fails to produce an agreement, the self-represented parties will be faced with the prospect of Court proceedings, with all the additional procedure and rules that brings and the thought of addressing a judge directly and in such a way as their arguments are clear.

This may all seem a little convenient, “aren’t you just concerned that you’ll have less work” I hear you say. Actually, no, I’m more concerned about the impact that self-represented litigants will have on the Court and the knock on effect that this will have for all clients, represented or not, including mine.

It is of little surprise that cases involving self-represented litigants often take a significantly longer time being heard in Court, because the judge must rightly ensure that each party understands what is happening but also because self-represented litigants do not necessarily understand the more relevant aspects of their case. When it’s personal, issues that would have been dealt with quickly had the parties been represented, can become almost insurmountable.

The rise in self-represented litigants is likely to require the Court to set aside more time for hearings, to ensure that each matter is dealt with fully, which in turn will lead to delays in other cases being listed – including those where parties are represented.

In addition, for those cases where one party is represented but the other is not, there can be costs implications for the represented party as a result of their Solicitor necessarily having to draft documentation for the Court, spend time explaining matters to the self-represented party at Court in line with professional rules and, ordinarily, dealing with increased correspondence and time spent dealing with issues that perhaps are not fundamental to resolution of the case – I am generalising, I know of several self-represented litigants who cope very well.

So you see, my concern is not only for people who will have to face the unpalatable prospect of representing themselves in negotiating their financial future or arrangements for their children but also the likely effect that this will have on my own clients in terms of delay and costs.

I am almost bound to say that I would advise that in all but the simplest cases, legal advice is key but, in honesty, good legal advice can save parties significant costs, help focus the parties on the relevant issues and ultimately ensure a fair resolution with as little emotional cost to the client as possible.

It is undoubted that the legal market is changing and firms will have to change their long established ways of working to ensure that people receive the best advice in a manner affordable to them – forgetting for a second that we are running businesses; we did all train as lawyers to advise and help people through their difficulties – at least I did.

With this in mind, our Family Law team has developed a range of costs solutions for clients, from free initial appointments, monthly payment plans, fixed fee divorce packages and bespoke plans to allow clients to access the advice that they so need in a way that is at least manageable.

So….go it alone?