We advise unmarried couples and same-sex couples on:
- Living together
- Cohabitation agreements
- Relationship breakdown
- Separation of property and disputes in relation to property
- Financial provision for children
Our experience
We are widely respected by other family solicitors, both locally and nationally. We are recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers, the lawyers' peer review, which calls us "experts in an unusual variety of substantive areas (including)... cohabitation and civil partnerships."
The law in this area is complex, so it is also a strength that the Russell-Cooke team is backed up by high-quality supporting expertise from other specialist departments on related matters like trusts, tenancy, possession and contract.
We have competitive hourly rates offering value for money.
We offer an initial one hour meeting on a fixed charge.
Our team
- The team includes two trained mediators and five trained collaborative lawyers, and we can offer a variety of negotiation options in these areas. All our solicitors are members of Resolution (the national organisation for family lawyers)
- We have considerable experience in dealing with disputes relating to cohabitees' property including property purchased overseas and drafting settlement agreements.
- We are actively involved in the development of law relating to cohabitation. Partner Fiona Read has been a member of Resolution's Working Party Campaign for legislation change and James Carroll and Fiona continue to be involved in consultations for legislative change.
- We have experience in dealing with applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 for claims for capital and income. This includes cases which form part of the 'body of reported cases' for high net worth individuals.