The breakdown of a relationship is rarely just one decision. It is dozens of smaller ones, often made over months or years, and almost always at a point in life when clear thinking is hardest to come by. Where you live. How the children are looked after. What happens to the house. How the finances unwind. Whether you stay in touch with in-laws you’ve spent decades with. Each of these has a legal dimension, and each can be handled well or badly depending on the advice you get early on.
At Beeston Shenton, our family law team in Newcastle-under-Lyme works with people across Staffordshire and Cheshire at exactly these moments. Our priority is making sure you receive the best representation to reach an outcome that is tailored to you, and that you have someone in your corner who treats this as the significant moment it is, rather than as another file on the desk.
This article walks through the full range of family law services we offer, so you can see at a glance where we might be able to help. If any of it speaks to your situation, our contact details are at the foot of the page.
Divorce and Dissolution of Civil Partnerships
Whether you are the Applicant, the party starting the proceedings, or the Respondent, where your spouse or civil partner has issued proceedings against you, our team is able to assist from the first conversation through to the final order.
The breakdown of a relationship can be a difficult time, and we are there to provide support from issuing the petition all the way through to court proceedings if those become necessary. For many couples, court proceedings are not needed at all, and a significant part of our role is helping you understand which route through the process is genuinely the right one for your circumstances.
Financial Matters
This is the part of a divorce or dissolution that most often determines how the next chapter of your life looks. Our team can deal with all elements of the distribution of assets following a divorce or dissolution, from direct negotiations with your spouse or civil partner through to seeking a Financial Order through court proceedings.
We can help you work through mediation, collaborative law, and court hearings, providing proactive advice at every stage to ensure you receive a fair settlement. “Fair” rarely means a fifty-fifty split of every line on a spreadsheet. It means an outcome that takes proper account of contributions, needs, children, pensions, property and the realistic shape of life after separation. That kind of analysis is where having a specialist family law solicitor matters most.
Disputes Over Children
Determining where your children will live, and who they will spend their time with after a separation, is essential for their wellbeing. The legal framework matters, but so does the speed and sensitivity with which arrangements are put in place. Children adjust best to changes that feel structured and consistent.
We can assist you in providing that structure as quickly and sensitively as possible, and we are proficient in reaching agreements both in and out of court. We also have experience dealing with situations where there are safeguarding issues, allegations of domestic abuse, or alienating behaviours. These are areas of family law that require particular care and specialist knowledge.
Financial Support for Children
When a relationship breaks down, seeking advice on child laws and finance should be a priority. There is no single right route here. Some couples agree everything privately; others need a Consent Order to give that agreement legal weight; others again need a formal assessment from the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).
Whatever the circumstances, we will give you the best advice and help you to build a structure for your child’s future. Our team can also assist with making claims for financial support for your children via the Family Courts under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989, which can be particularly important where one parent has significant assets or income that fall outside the standard CMS framework.
Domestic Violence and Injunctions
Where there are concerns about your safety, or the safety of your children, the law provides protections that can be put in place quickly. Our supportive team can assist you, and your children if necessary, with court applications for non-molestation orders, occupation orders, and other injunctions designed to protect you from any form of domestic violence.
In some situations Orders can be obtained initially without notice to the other party where there are grounds, and on an urgent basis. We can advise on remedies for harassment, violence and threats of violence, including physical, emotional and financial abuse, and help to protect your occupation of a home.
If anything in this section feels relevant to your situation, please don’t wait. The earlier we know, the more we can do.
Separation Agreements
Many couples choose to live together rather than marry, and where separation occurs a different legal approach is required. Separation agreements can help you to resolve financial issues in these cases, setting out clearly what has been agreed in a way that protects both parties going forward.
Separation agreements are also useful for married couples who do not want to begin formal divorce proceedings yet. For example, where there are children to consider, where reconciliation is still being explored, or where the timing simply isn’t right. A well-drafted separation agreement can give you the breathing space to make longer-term decisions without leaving important financial matters undocumented.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
If you wish to enter into an agreement with your partner before living together, getting married, or entering into a civil partnership, we can help. These agreements are extremely useful for protecting your assets and providing an agreed basis for what will happen in the event of a relationship breakdown, which has the effect of preventing many disputes from ever arising in the first place.
It is always advisable to draw up an agreement before you marry, but it is also possible to enter into one afterwards, known as a Post-Nuptial Agreement. Both can be particularly valuable where one party is bringing significant pre-existing assets, family wealth, or business interests into the relationship.
Cohabiting Couples
The law treats unmarried couples very differently from married ones, and this catches a lot of people out. There is no such thing in English law as a “common law marriage”, regardless of how long you have lived together.
Our team can assist couples who are living together but have not married, and deal with any assets which may be in dispute on separation. We have experience of dealing with disputes regarding property, whether jointly owned or owned in one party’s name, and can assist with claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996.
If you are looking to move in with a new partner, it is often advisable to enter into a cohabitation agreement which sets out what happens in the event you separate, particularly where there are property and children involved. It is the kind of conversation that feels awkward at the time and looks remarkably sensible in hindsight.
Why Clients Choose Our Family Law Team
Family law is the area of legal work where the relationship between client and solicitor matters most. You will be discussing the difficult parts of your life: finances in detail, fears about your children, behaviour you may never have told anyone else about. That isn’t a conversation we think works well at a distance.
Our family law team is based at our Newcastle-under-Lyme office at 64 King Street, with meeting rooms available by appointment in Stafford and Knutsford. We serve clients across Staffordshire and Cheshire. In most cases we offer face-to-face meetings rather than remote ones, because the things that matter in a family law case are easier to talk through in person.
The reviews on our family law page tell their own story. One client, writing about a divorce and financial matter handled by Paul and Natalie, said the case took longer than usual through no fault of the solicitors, and that without their support she would have given up long before reaching a successful outcome. Another, writing about Ellie’s handling of a non-molestation order and occupation order followed by a 17-month divorce, described the advice and direction as second to none and said she wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the firm to anyone. These aren’t cases that ran smoothly because the law is simple. They ran to good outcomes because the team stayed with the clients through the hard parts.
Talk to a Family Law Solicitor in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford or Knutsford
Whether you’re ready to start proceedings, exploring your options, or simply want to understand where you stand, our family law team would be happy to talk.
Your first consultation with us is free of charge. It gives you the chance to talk through your situation in confidence, find out where you stand, and get a clear sense of the options available before deciding what to do next. Following that initial meeting, we will provide a cost estimate for the work involved, so you can move forward knowing exactly what your fees are likely to be. There are no surprises and no obligation to instruct us.
- Newcastle-under-Lyme: 01782 662424
- Stafford: 01785 332999
- Knutsford: 01565 754444
Initial conversations are confidential, and you’re not committing to anything by getting in touch.
You can also see the full overview of our family law services, including divorce, financial matters, children disputes, domestic violence injunctions, separation agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and cohabitation, on our family law page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Beeston Shenton’s family law solicitors based?
Our head office is at 64 King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1JB. We also have meeting rooms available by appointment in Stafford and Knutsford, and we act for clients across Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Do you offer a free initial consultation?
Yes. Your first consultation with our family law team is free of charge. It gives you the chance to discuss your situation in confidence and understand your options before deciding whether to proceed. Following that initial meeting, we will provide a cost estimate for the work involved so you can be clear on what your fees will be.
Do you offer face-to-face meetings?
Yes. In most cases we offer face-to-face meetings rather than remote ones, because family law matters are easier to discuss in person.
Can you help if I’m the one being divorced rather than the one starting the process?
Yes. Whether you are the Applicant or the Respondent, our team can support you from the first conversation through to the final order and any related financial or children matters.
Do you handle cases involving domestic abuse?
Yes. We assist with non-molestation orders, occupation orders and other injunctions, and we can act on an urgent basis where required. We also advise on remedies for harassment, violence and threats of violence, including physical, emotional and financial abuse.
Can you help unmarried couples who are separating?
Yes. The law treats cohabiting couples differently from married ones, and getting advice early matters. We handle property disputes, including claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, and we can also draw up cohabitation agreements for couples moving in together.
Is it too late to put a prenuptial agreement in place if we’re already married?
No. A post-nuptial agreement performs a similar role and can be drawn up at any point during a marriage or civil partnership.
This article is intended as general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Family law cases turn on their individual facts and you should always seek tailored advice from a qualified solicitor before acting on anything you read here. Beeston Shenton Solicitors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number: 420578).
