Looking for divorce lawyers in St Albans? Our expertise is unmatched
We breakdown the misconceptions and myths around divorce and separation so that you know exactly what you're getting.
Divorce can be one of the most emotionally and financially turbulent times in a person's life. Whether it is you, your spouse, or both of you agreeing to legally separate, divorce can bring about intense feelings that are only further aggravated when trying to navigate the UK's complex divorce process. This is why it is vital that you receive the best legal advice in order to protect both yourself and your family's best interests.
Our divorce lawyers in St Albans are not only highly-qualified experts in all aspects of divorce, separation and family law, but are trained to treat your case with sensitivity and professionalism. As soon as you instruct one of our divorce lawyers in St Albans, we will inform you in plain language what you need to know about your rights, how it will impact children you may share, and your financial position in regards to shared assets.
We work with individuals, couples, parents, grandparents and same-sex couples from all walks of life in St Albans, Luton and across Hertfordshire. Our divorce lawyers in St Albans are here to support you through this difficult time, and will help you find the best resolution for your divorce or separation for suiting your needs.
Let our divorce lawyers in St Albans help make this huge life transition easier for you, so that you not only experience as little stress and pain as possible, but can move towards a happier and more fulfilled life.
Our Testimonials
'Thank you, especially for the support you showed me during and at the end of my divorce. Knowing I had an outstanding solicitor that guided me through the legal process who gave sound advice, produced outstanding work and conducted himself in a professional manner was a relief. This gave me reassurance that I had you in my corner 100%, ready to come out fighting when I needed help during that difficult time I went through. Once again thank you and your team for the excellent work they carried out for me.'
‘Well organised, professional and got the job done, always kept up to date.’
'I would like to thank Ben Twitchen, Fay Goodwin, and the team at Taylor Walton for their hard work in bringing my divorce to a conclusion. Their support has been invaluable, and their professionalism is second to none. I would have no hesitation in recommending Taylor Walton.'
‘Ben Twitchen is an exceptional solicitor. Ben’s bedside manner and reassuring demeanour were greatly appreciated during a very drawn-out and convoluted case, and his intelligent approach, maven-like insight, and confidence under pressure were absolutely critical to getting the results required. Where financing became an issue, Ben was able to find solutions.’
’Will Mercer is solution focused, knowledgeable and knows what he is doing. He provides his clients with good, practical advice and thinks outside the box. He is efficient and effective in achieving successful outcomes. He always adopts a constructive and sensible approach, and encourages his clients to be child focused.’
‘Olive McCarthy has been amazing through my long acrimonious divorce. Calm, clear, empathic, bright, compassionate and always 100% on the ball.’
'Both Ben and Natalie were very responsive, supportive, informative and accurate in the advice that they gave. Together, we were able to work through an approach to a negotiation which secured a fair outcome for both my ex-wife and myself. I have to say that this was in contrast to the approach taken by my ex-wife’s solicitors.'
'I would like to thank you for all you have done on my case over the past two years. I have been grateful for your expertise and professionalism, for your attention to detail and a calm head throughout. I would not wish my situation on anyone but will recommend you with confidence to any friends in need of top notch legal advice.'
'I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me and the girls over the last few months, I really do appreciate all your hard work. We are now settled in our new home and can start looking forward to the future. Thank you also for assisting with the child care matter, things do seem more settled now and X seems a lot happier... should I need further help in the future I will not hesitate to contact you and would not hesitate to recommend your services.'
Why choose Taylor Walton Divorce Solicitors in St Albans?
Highly knowledgeable in all aspects of divorce & separation. From child custody arrangements and maintenance payments, financial matters such as the division of assets and property, to dealing with sensitive issues such as domestic violence and arranged or forced marriages - our divorce solicitors have seen it all. No matter how complex or multi-faceted your situation may be, our divorce lawyers in St Albans have the experience and knowledge to find a resolution that best suits you.
No nonsense, jargon-free legal advice. We know that you may have a lot of questions right now - and we are here to answer them. Our role is to help guide you through the complicated UK legal system, and ensure that you understand the options available so that you can make an informed decision on your future.
Divorce lawyers that you can trust. We are aware of the negative stereotypes surrounding divorce lawyers, such as the belief that they will deliberately manipulate and draw out the divorce process in order to charge more money. All of our divorce lawyers in St Albans are required to be members of Resolution – an organisation committed to resolving family legal issues in a non-confrontational way. This ensures that all our practices remain ethical and trustworthy, so that you can be assured that we are always working in your best interests.
Consistent communication throughout the process. We understand the stress that comes with divorce, so will not keep you in the dark on how your own divorce is progressing. We will keep you informed at every stage of your divorce; letting you know of any major developments along with advice on the best way to act. Our divorce solicitors in St Albans are easily reachable by phone or email, so you do need need to worry about needing to get in touch with us.
We will work to achieve the best possible solution for you. At Taylor Walton, we don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach - especially when it comes to divorce. We know that every couple and family are different, therefore our focus is on listening to your concerns and needs to ensure that we find a solution that best suits you.
Competitively priced. Our divorce lawyers in St Albans are open and honest about their pricing, and will give you an estimated cost of our services during your initial consultation. We do not upsell - we will only charge you for the services and legal support that you need, nothing more. Taylor Walton also regularly conducts reviews of what our local competitors charge, ensuring that you never overpay for services and always get the best price from us.
Directions to our office in St Albans
We are just a minute's walk from St Albans Abbey train station. If you are travelling by train, exit the station from Stop A and walk north-east on Holywell Hill towards Prospect Road. You will find the Taylor Walton office on your right.
If you are visiting our divorce lawyers in St Albans by car, we have on-site parking available for clients. The car park is situated just behind Thornycroft House where our branch is located. To access it, drive past the building down Prospect Road – you will find the entrance on your left.
Proud to be serving St Albans
St Albans is a cathedral city with history dating back to the Romans times, where it was the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north.
Today the city is still associated with travellers, being a popular residential location within the London commuter belt. Visitors to St Albans will also revel in the city's rich cultural and historical offerings, including its wide range of theatres (such as the famed Trestle Theatre Company), various music and entertainment venues, museums and shopping destinations like The Maltings Shopping Centre.
Taylor Walton are proud to serve the residents of St Albans. Since first opening our doors in 2007, we have worked with thousands of St Albans-based families and individuals; helping them resolve their legal issues and thus improving their lives and personal happiness.
Meet our Divorce Lawyers in St Albans
Olive McCarthy
Family Law, ManagementPartner & Arbitrator
Lauren Windsor
Commercial LitigationTrainee Solicitor
Latest blogs on Divorce & Separation
Divorce Resources in St Albans
- Divorce Courts in St Albans
St Albans' residents can use this online service to find their nearest divorce court. The tool can also be used to find St Albans' courthouses that deal with domestic abuse cases, childcare arrangements, forced marriage and financial issues as a result of divorce. - SAHWR Specialist Domestic Abuse Services
SAHWR is a registered charity offering services and support to victims of domestic abuse in St Albans. - Divorce Support Group in Hertfordshire
Ran by Divorce Care, this divorce recovery support group runs weekly meetings in Hertfordshire. Follow the link to find out more information about upcoming meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, you may be wondering whether you need a divorce lawyer in the first place.
No one wants to pay hefty divorce fees, and if both parties can come to an agreement between themselves on specific legal issues (such as child custody and maintenance payments, division of financial assets etc.) then they can always apply for an uncontested divorce.
However, in most cases we would advise (even for uncontested divorce) that you seek legal advice to ensure that your application is reviewed, as a legal professional will ensure the likelihood of it being accepted by the UK courts and decide if the agreement is fair to both parties involved.
If there are significant financial assets at stake or both parties are highly acrimonious towards each other (especially with couples who share children) then a family solicitor may be necessary to handle paperwork, explain the divorce process and negotiate with the other spouse and their solicitors.
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2020, which introduced ‘no-fault’ divorces in England and Wales, came into effect on 6th April 2022.
This eradicated the need to prove that a marriage had irretrievably broken down based on one of four grounds - which were historically adultery, unreasonable behaviour, long term separation and desertion - in order to be granted a divorce. The law was passed in order to remove unnecessary conflict and stress on former couples so that more important issues - such as childcare and financial arrangements - could become the primary focus.
Importantly, this law also stops one partner from vindictively refusing their spouse a divorce, which can often be seen in domestic abusers who try to trap their victim in an unhappy marriage.
If you need assistance in understanding or navigating the new no fault divorce, speak to one of our divorce lawyers in St. Albans today.
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2020, which introduced ‘no-fault’ divorces in England and Wales, came into effect on 6th April 2022.
This eradicated the need to prove that a marriage had irretrievably broken down based on one of four grounds - which were historically adultery, unreasonable behaviour, long term separation and desertion - in order to be granted a divorce. The law was passed in order to remove unnecessary conflict and stress on former couples so that more important issues - such as childcare and financial arrangements - could become the primary focus.
Importantly, this law also stops one partner from vindictively refusing their spouse a divorce, which can often be seen in domestic abusers who try to trap their victim in an unhappy marriage.
To help navigate you through the new no-fault divorce, get in touch with one of our divorce solicitors in Luton today.
We understand that some individuals may be concerned that hiring a divorce lawyer will result in being taken advantage of, and processes becoming more hostile and drawn out than necessary so that the divorce solicitor can charge higher legal fees.
At Taylor Walton, all our divorce lawyers in Hertfordshire and Luton are members of Resolution – an organisation of family justice professionals committed to resolving family law issues in a constructive, non-confrontational way. Therefore, you can be assured that your best interests are always at the heart of what we do and that our code of conduct is professional and ethical.
Involving family solicitors in your divorce proceedings does not need to be hostile – in fact, our clients often report that using one of our divorce lawyers in St. Albans made the process calmer and run more smoothly for them.
The four key stages to divorce in the UK are as follows:
- Completing a divorce petition.
- Submitting the divorce petition and fee to a divorce centre either online or via post
- Once the petition has been acknowledged by your spouse, then you must apply for a decree nisi.
- Six weeks after obtaining a decree nisi, you must apply for a decree absolute.
However, applying for a divorce does not automatically resolve financial matters or decisions involving children – this will need to be arranged separately in a settlement (a legally binding decision). For advice and assistance on organising a settlement contract, speak to our divorce lawyers in St. Albans today.
This will depend on a variety of factors, such as the length of the marriage, financial assets shared (such as housing, businesses, inheritances, pensions etc.) and how much each party agrees with each other regarding these terms.
If the marriage was short-lived, there are no financial assets shared or each party agrees to the same terms, getting a divorce legally finalised can take as little as 4 to 6 months. However, in the UK the average time it usually takes to finalise a divorce is one year.
The process for ending a same-sex marriage or civil union is the same for ending a heterosexual marriage. See 'How do I get divorced' for more information.
Protection from a violent spouse can be obtained through family court, including restraint orders and orders restricting the violent spouse from approaching the family home.
If you ever feel that your life is in danger or under threat from a violent spouse, we urge you to call 999 as your first course of action.
Whilst it is preferable for both parties to cooperate, if your spouse is refusing to acknowledge a divorce petition or agree to a divorce, there are solutions to go ahead with the divorce without their consent.
If there is no cooperation from them, then you have the option of issuing an unreasonable behaviour petition and getting them personally served. However, if they do not respond to this, you can proceed whether they choose to engage or not.
If your spouse refuses to agree to the divorce, there are still options available for you to still proceed, however it relies on the grounds you submitted as the reason for the divorce.
If you cited unreasonable behaviour, 5-year separation or desertion, then you can proceed with the divorce without their consent – providing that you can show evidence that they have been notified of the divorce proceedings beforehand.
However, this changes if you are basing your divorce grounds on adultery or a 2-year separation, as for these reasons the court will either need express consent/admission to an extramarital affair or evidence (e.g. video footage) and the return of an Acknowledgement of Service to the court to proceed.
If you are unable to get these from your spouse, then you will need to change your reason for petition to continue with the divorce proceedings.
Legal aid is only available to specific cases, such as marriages where there was domestic abuse or child welfare issues. If social services were ever involved, this can help your case for getting legal aid.
Find a legal aid advisor on the UK government website here.
Usually both parties will be liable for their own legal costs - in exception to the court fee (currently around £593) which is often paid for by the individual filing the petition to divorce.
However, if the divorce petition is based on unreasonable behaviour or adultery, it is possible to make an application where the party at fault pays all the legal costs. The usual course of action, however, is for all divorce costs to be split between the two parties.
Do note however that these costs only apply to divorce proceedings – other legal arrangements, such as division of assets or child custody and maintenance agreements, will have to be organised separately, and will have their own unique costs.
If both parties cannot reach an agreement through mediation or collaborative law methods, then court intervention may be necessary. However, if you and your spouse can amicably come to agreements about financial settlements and any shared children, then you can usually avoid court hearings altogether.
Prior to the court stage, however, your solicitors will usually attempt other methods to help you and your spouse come to an agreement, such as mediation, arbitration or collaborative law practices.
Collaborative law is a legal practice that enables couples to work with specially trained collaborative lawyers in order to avoid having to thrash out the issues in court and achieve a settlement that best meets the needs of both parties and their children.
The voluntary process is initiated when the couple signs a contract (also known as a participation agreement) that binds each other to the process and disqualifies their respective lawyer's right to represent either one in any future family-related litigation.
If you are interested in finding out more about Taylor Walton’s collaborative divorce service, speak to one of our team today for a free and confidential consultation.