Family and Matrimonial

Bradley Feld

I provide specialist advice on matrimonial and family law matters. Please contact me with any enquiries you may have.

Phone: 01706 645 656

Free initial appointment &
Free Legal Advice Phone: 01706 645 656

bradleyfeld@fmdsolicitors.co.uk

Email:

Free initial appointment & free legal advice call 01706 645 656

Family and Matrimonial

My Name is Bradley Feld, a partner at FMD Solicitors.

I graduated from University of Kent in Canterbury with a BA Law Degree (Hons) in 1982 and qualified as a solicitor in October 1985.

I am a member of the Law Society Family Law Panel and Resolution.

I will deal with your case personally.

I will always deal with your calls or emails promptly. I organise my time so that you will always be able to get an appointment to see me in the office promptly, unlike some other firms.

Please contact me for a free first appointment. I understand that you may initially just want to seek some advice and discuss your case and then decide what to do after that.

How can I help?

I can help you with any aspects of family and matrimonial matters including:

• All matters concerning divorces and separation.
• Matrimonial Financial Settlements. Following a divorce, decisions have to be taken regarding the matrimonial assets which often include the family home. The Court also has powers to make appropriate orders regarding pensions and I can advise you in all these aspects. I can also advise you with regard to separation agreements where financial settlements are achieved but without any divorce proceedings being issued.
• Increasingly, couples do not marry, but purchase properties and other assets together and these matters need to be resolved.
• I can help you with all disputes concerning children. When relationships break down there are often disputes regarding contact and residence of the children. I will help to negotiate reasonable and fair contact and residence arrangements and will act for you throughout any Court proceedings.
• Acting for you in Court proceedings issued by  Social Services for Care Orders in respect of your children. Dealing with all aspects of Local Authority  involvement prior to them applying to the Court.

For a free no obligation first appointment call 01706 645 656 or fill in the form below and we will call you right back.

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Family and Matrimonial FAQ's

Can I just get a divorce if I want one?

No there are only certain grounds for a divorce and you have to have been married for one year.

The parent of the child is not letting me have contact and putting too many restrictions on it do I have to accept that?

No there should be reasonable contact between yourself and your child and the Court will always be looking at what is in the interest of the child. If no agreement can be reached, then you can apply to the Court for an Order.

I am not married, do I have any rights to the property I live in?

In some situations you will have gained a right to the equity to the property and it would depend upon whose name the property is registered in and as to what financial contribution you have made. In some circumstances you can then apply to the Court for Orders in respect of the sale of the property.

I do not want a divorce but we have agreed financial matters can this be placed into a Legal Document?

Yes even though you are not getting a divorce at this stage a Legal Separation Agreement can be drawn up to record all the Financial Agreements that have been reached.

How much will it cost?

A lot of the work I can do can be for a fixed fee and you will therefore know exactly what it will cost. See divorce and fixed fees. The non -fixed fee work is based on an hourly rate with letters sent and calls at a tenth of that. My hourly charge is £190. My rate is below the Government Court Service suggested rate for this area. However, if I take details from you for only 5 mins you only get charged of course for that ie £15.83. We have to add V.A.T to that. As I only charge for work actually done, it doesn’t matter how long your matter goes on for. If, for example, in a month I have only received one letter you would only be charged £9.50.

I have seen Solicitors that do all matrimonial work at a fixed fee - why don't you?

You will see that these firms will add "extras" and have "get out" clauses to their fixed fee. As soon as your case becomes complicated they will start to add extra charges. Also once you have agreed the fixed fee even if the work they carry out is less than expected you will still pay the fixed fee. I will only charge you for the work that I carry out. These firms are not allowing you the opportunity to try and settle the case without it going to Court as it doesn't fit into one of their fixed fee stages. I believe that it is often worth trying to settle your case by negotiations and discussions to try to avoid applying to Court as this will ultimately save you money. I will always give you accurate estimates of the costs so you can budget accordingly.

I have been quoted cheaper hourly rates when I have phoned other Solicitors, why is that?

Hourly rates are set according to the level and experience. You will need to check that the person you have spoken to is a Solicitor as lots of Firms use clerks, unqualified people or junior Solicitors and then of course charge less per hour. Also a Solicitor at other firms may only do some of your work and clerks the rest. I have been qualified since 1985 and will personally deal with your matter from the beginning to the end. I specialise only in the area in which you are seeking advice. At other firms you may find several people all dealing with your matter.

Why shouldn’t I go for the cheapest Solicitor in the town, isn’t it all the same work?

An inexperienced person or one that is not competent, whilst they may charge less per hour eg £160, may take longer to take your instructions, draft a document or send unnecessary letters and so will cost you more than myself in the end. I do not believe in sending letters just for the sake of it to increase your costs.

Can I come to discuss matters with you before I decide what to do?

Yes, please do. Please e.mail or phone me for a convenient appointment for you.

If I start a case off myself to save costs but now need a Solicitor to continue can I come to you?

Yes, I would need to look at the type of application you have issued and what is involved and I will then give you an estimate as to what my costs would be to continue on with your case.

I am grandparent, do I have any rights to see my grandchild as the parent are stopping me?

Yes, grandparents can apply to the Courts for a contact Order to a grandchild. It will always depend however on what is in the best interest of the child.