Last month I discussed taking that first step to obtain legal advice in relation to your divorce or separation. If you are concerned about cost then it is sensible to look at approaching a Solicitor who offers a fixed fee appointment. This costs less than the Solicitor's hourly rate and is a good way to obtain advice without too much cost before you decide whether you need to formally instruct a Solicitor.

This also provides an opportunity for you to decide whether this Solicitor is the person you would feel comfortable with using in the future.

Some Solicitors limit the time for their appointment to, say, 30 minutes after which the hourly rate applies but others, such as my firm, SpainWilliams, do not have a time limit. Although, on average, an initial appointment takes between 30 minutes and an hour, if you need longer with us than that is fine. The appointment allows you to explain your situation and concerns and receive advice from the Solicitor as to your various options.

We also provide a summary of advice in writing following the meeting so that you have a record of what was said and can use this moving forward.

There is no obligation to instruct the Solicitor but we do keep hold of the meeting notes and are able to refer to them should you wish to instruct or have any further questions in the future.