Mathew Solicitors offer expert advice and representation for individuals navigating divorce or separation, including those with significant financial assets, business interests, or international elements. Our UK-based family law team combines technical excellence with a calm, strategic approach, helping clients achieve clarity and protection at a time of personal and financial transition.

Divorce and Separation in England and Wales

Whether you're seeking a divorce or formal separation, our solicitors guide you through every stage of the process. Since the introduction of no-fault divorce in the UK (under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020), the process has become more straightforward – removing the need to assign blame and allowing couples to separate more amicably.

We support clients with:

• Preparing and submitting divorce or dissolution applications (sole or joint)
• Advising on legal rights and obligations during separation
• Drafting separation agreements for those not yet ready to divorce
• Negotiating and finalising financial settlements
• Making child arrangements in line with the Children Act 1989

International Divorce – UK and India

At Mathew Solicitors we have particular expertise in international divorce cases involving the UK and India. Our team includes RFLs (registered foreign lawyers) who are fully qualified to practise law in India, enabling us to provide seamless, cross-border legal advice with full understanding of both jurisdictions.

Whether you or your spouse are Indian nationals, have assets or property in India, or were married under Indian law, our specialist solicitors provide clear, strategic advice to navigate the intersection of UK and Indian family law.

We regularly assist British Indian clients, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), and expatriates with family law issues that cross borders, ensuring that proceedings are managed with sensitivity, discretion, and legal precision.

Divorces involving both the UK and India raise important questions about:

• Jurisdiction: Determining whether divorce proceedings should take place in the UK or India, and where it is most advantageous to file
• Recognition of foreign decrees: Ensuring Indian divorce orders are recognised in the UK and vice versa – especially where religious or customary marriages are involved
• Financial settlements: Dealing with property, bank accounts, or business interests located in India or across both jurisdictions
• Marriage validity: Addressing the recognition of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian religious marriages in UK family courts
• Child custody and relocation: Resolving disputes where one parent seeks to relocate with children between the UK and India
• Enforcement of UK court orders in India (and vice versa)

Our Divorce Services Include:

• Advising on where to initiate proceedings (forum selection)
• Filing divorce petitions in the UK under English law, including where parties were married abroad
• Liaising with trusted Indian family lawyers to coordinate cross-border issues
• Negotiating financial settlements that reflect property and asset division across both countries
• Advising on child contact, residence, and safeguarding in international cases
• Obtaining mirror orders for enforcement in Indian or UK courts

We also understand the cultural, religious, and practical sensitivities that often accompany divorces within the British Indian community. Our team delivers advice that is not only legally robust but also culturally informed.

If your situation involves both UK and Indian legal considerations, Mathew Solicitors can help you take control with confidence.

Reaching a fair financial settlement is often one of the most important and complex aspects of divorce or separation. Mathew Solicitors provide strategic, pragmatic advice to help clients navigate financial claims under UK family law, ensuring that assets are protected and long-term financial stability is secured.

Whether your financial landscape is straightforward or includes complex business structures, overseas assets, or inherited wealth, our team brings specialist expertise and commercial awareness to every case.

Financial Settlements on Divorce or Dissolution

When a marriage or civil partnership ends, both parties have legal rights to claim financial relief under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. We assist clients in negotiating and securing fair and lasting financial settlements that may include:

• Division of matrimonial and non-matrimonial property
• Sale or transfer of the family home
• Lump-sum payments or property adjustment orders
• Spousal maintenance
• Pension sharing or attachment orders
• Child maintenance and additional child-related financial support

Our solicitors seek to resolve financial disputes constructively wherever possible through negotiation, mediation, or collaborative law but also provide robust representation in court when needed.

Mathew Solicitors understand that matters involving children are among the most sensitive and emotionally charged aspects of family breakdown. Our priority is to help you achieve outcomes that protect your child's best interests while preserving parental relationships and minimising conflict.

Whether you are dealing with a separation, need to resolve where your child will live, or face a dispute about schooling or relocation, our experienced family solicitors offer clear, compassionate, and child-focused advice.

Child Arrangements (Custody and Contact)

Under UK law, terms like "custody" and "access" have been replaced with child arrangements orders, which set out:

• Where the child will live (residence)
• How and when they will spend time with each parent or other family members (contact)

We assist parents in reaching agreements through negotiation and mediation wherever possible and represent clients in court when necessary. Our goal is to help families avoid protracted conflict and prioritise stability for the child.

Parental Disputes

We support clients in resolving a wide range of disputes relating to:

• Day-to-day parenting decisions
• Education, healthcare, or religious upbringing
• Holiday and travel consent
• Introduction of new partners or changes to routine
• Allegations of parental alienation or safeguarding concerns

When agreement cannot be reached, we can apply for specific issue or prohibited steps orders to resolve or prevent certain actions by the other parent.

Relocation – Domestic and International

If one parent wishes to move with a child either within the UK or abroad it may require the other parent's consent or the court's permission. These applications can be complex and require careful legal planning.

Working in the Child's Best Interests

UK courts base all decisions on the 'welfare principle', meaning the child's best interests come first. We work to resolve matters with this principle in mind, using alternative dispute resolution methods where appropriate, but are fully equipped to litigate where necessary.

At Mathew Solicitors we combine legal strength with emotional intelligence to help parents and carers build workable, respectful parenting arrangements during and after separation.

Mathew Solicitors provide urgent and confidential legal assistance to those affected by domestic abuse. Our experienced family law solicitors act swiftly to protect the safety and wellbeing of individuals and children at risk, using the full range of legal remedies available under UK law.

Domestic abuse can take many forms including physical, emotional, financial, sexual, and coercive control – and does not always involve physical violence. We take all forms of abuse seriously and provide compassionate, non-judgmental support alongside robust legal action.

We regularly assist clients in applying for emergency and longer-term court orders, including Occupation Orders, Non-Molestation Orders, and Prohibited Steps Orders.

1. Non-Molestation Order

A Non-Molestation Order is designed to protect you and/or your children from harassment, threats, or violence by a current or former partner, spouse, or family member. It can prohibit the abuser from:

• Using or threatening violence
• Intimidating, harassing, or pestering you
• Contacting you directly or indirectly (e.g. by phone or through social media)
• Coming near your home, workplace, or your children's school

Non-Molestation Orders are granted under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996 and breach of such an order is a criminal offence. We can often obtain an emergency order without notice to the other party if there is an immediate risk.

2. Occupation Order

An Occupation Order regulates who can live in the family home or enter certain parts of the property. It is used when someone needs to be excluded from a property for safety reasons, even if they have a legal right to live there.

This type of order can:

• Require the abuser to leave the family home
• Prevent the abuser from returning or approaching the home
• Grant you the right to remain in the property
• Define who occupies which parts of the home

Occupation Orders are typically used alongside Non-Molestation Orders in cases of domestic abuse and are also governed by the Family Law Act 1996. The court considers factors such as housing needs, the wellbeing of any children, and the risk of harm to the applicant.

3. Prohibited Steps Order

A Prohibited Steps Order (PSO) is used to prevent a parent or guardian from taking certain actions concerning a child without the court's consent. Common uses include preventing:

• A child being taken abroad without permission
• One parent from changing the child's school or surname
• Removing the child from the care of the other parent

Prohibited Steps Orders are made under the Children Act 1989 and are often essential in safeguarding children during high-conflict separations or when there is a risk of abduction, manipulation, or other harmful behaviour.

Unmarried couples and cohabiting partners do not have the same legal rights as married couples or those in civil partnerships. This can create significant vulnerabilities, particularly when relationships break down or in situations involving property, finances, or children.

Mathew Solicitors provide clear, practical advice to help unmarried couples understand their legal position and take steps to protect their interests and those of their children.

We assist with:

• Cohabitation agreements to clarify financial arrangements and property rights
• Property disputes and claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA)
• Child arrangements and parental responsibility for unmarried fathers
• Financial provision for children under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989
• Inheritance planning and protection for surviving partners

Whether you are entering a relationship, living together, or facing separation, we help you understand your rights and plan for the future with confidence.