Separate the questions you want answered
Write down your main concerns in ordinary language. You may want to understand a divorce process, discuss an existing arrangement for children or ask about financial questions involving a home. These are different subjects, even when they arise from the same change in circumstances.
A useful preparation note distinguishes what has happened from what you want to happen. For example, record that an arrangement is being discussed, then list the question you need answered. Avoid treating your preferred outcome as an established legal entitlement.
Our family law enquiry page covers these connected requirements.
Prepare for the first meeting
The Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulator for solicitors and most law firms in England and Wales, advises consumers to confirm a solicitor’s status, discuss how fees are calculated and prepare relevant information before a meeting. Its consumer questions (sra.org.uk) provide a starting point.
Ask which information the solicitor needs and how documents should be supplied. You can prepare a private chronology for that discussion, covering significant dates, existing correspondence and questions you don’t yet understand.
- What subjects will the initial discussion cover?
- What information should be available beforehand?
- How will fees and the scope of work be explained?
- What decisions remain open after the meeting?
Questions about resolving disagreements
For child arrangements after separation, GOV.UK’s non-court options (gov.uk) include solicitor negotiation, collaborative law, arbitration, neutral evaluation and mediation. Suitability and costs depend on the circumstances, and a legal adviser can explain which options may fit the matter.
These choices give you specific subjects to raise when an arrangement remains unresolved. Ask what information is needed to consider an option and how its scope relates to the disagreement. Options described for child arrangements should be considered within that subject, rather than assumed to apply to every connected family question.
Identify the discussion you need next
If you’ve already received information but still have questions, distinguish those questions from the points already explained. You might need clarification about an option, the proposed scope of work or the information needed for a meeting.
To introduce your requirements to Solicitors London, use the contact form and state the family law question you want to discuss.