Expert Divorce & Family Lawyers in Liverpool
McAlister Family Law are one of the top family law solicitors in Liverpool & Merseyside and offer a wealth of experience to help you through the breakdown of your relationship and the consequences of that such as divorce, separation, issues involving children, and financial matters.
Our welcoming offices are conveniently located in Derby Square, directly opposite the Law Courts, which saves the costs of our lawyers having to travel to court should matters not be resolved amicably and through negotiation.
Our practice is led by Amanda McAlister, who is listed as an Eminent practitioner in Chambers and Partners and is also a leading lawyer in the legal directory Legal 500 where the firm is also ranked in Tier 1. She is the media’s “go-to” family law expert and regularly appears on BBC Morning Live.
Our firm is home to one of the country’s leading children law teams with ten lawyers accredited by the Law Society as Accredited Children Panel Specialists, the most in any family law firm in Merseyside.
Because the work speaks for itself.
Ranked Tier 1 in the Legal 500 and listed in Chambers and Partners, with ten Law Society Accredited Children Panel Specialists – the most in any family law firm in Merseyside.
McAlister Family Law Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. SRA No. 639103
Because we do things differently.
We don’t just follow process – we focus on people. Our team’s mission is to exceed our clients’ expectations both in terms of service, expertise and value.
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Fighting for fairness in all our cases
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Putting our clients and children at the centre of everything we do
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Developing a robust and comprehensive plan to ensure that results are delivered and positive change can happen, so that life can move forward
Liverpool’s Best Divorce Solicitors
Our family solicitors in Liverpool deal with more than just a divorce. We can assist with a wide range of issues, including resolving the financial aspects of a divorce, making arrangements for children, protecting wealth through relationship agreements, providing financial support for children and addressing matters arising from the breakdown of cohabiting relationships.
Our extensive family law experience allows us to handle the most complex financial settlements in divorce cases. We have in-depth knowledge of cases involving business interests and shareholdings, landed estates, inherited or gifted wealth and complex pensions. We routinely act for professionals, members of the armed forces and entrepreneurs. Our specialism includes addressing arguments around matrimonial and non-matrimonial property in divorce proceedings.
Children’s Lawyers Liverpool
McAlister Family Law is home to one of the top Children’s Law teams in the country. We believe that the voice of a child is the most important consideration in any dispute and should always be heard. We represent not only parents, grandparents, step-parents and carers but the children themselves.
We work with parents, professionals and third-party experts in protecting children’s interests at all times. We help navigate complex issues such as domestic abuse, alcohol and drug addiction, parental alienation, emotional harm and implacable hostility. We also provide guidance on relocating with children, whether within the UK or overseas.
We take pride in supporting our clients through this sensitive and emotional process, offering sensible advice and robust representation in this delicate area of law.
Frequently asked questions
Does McAlister Family Law have a Manchester office?
Yes, our Manchester office can be found at the Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle St, Manchester M3 4LZ, just four minutes away from Deansgate-Castlefield train station.
What other practical considerations should I consider for a cohabitation agreement?
A well-drafted cohabitation agreement should complement and not compete with other legal documents. For instance the provisions of a Will should mirror the terms of the cohabitation agreement so that there is consistency of the common intention of the agreement of your financial affairs.
Another example may be in terms of the division of property upon separation, that due consideration be given to registering a Declaration of Trust, which is then to be lodged with HM Land Registry.
The construction of a Cohabitation Agreement, ultimately carries more weight the more up to date it is, therefore, it would assist to review and amend the terms of the document every 3-5 years to ensure it reflects and addresses your current financial arrangements.
What is a Section 25 Statement?
This is an important narrative statement which sets out your case within financial remedy proceedings. The statement is typically used as your ‘evidence in chief’ at the final hearing. This means that it must only include evidence rather than any arguments.
It is called a ‘Section 25 Statement’ because it should refer to the various applicable factors under Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 that you would like the Judge to take into account when deciding what Orders to make at the final hearing.
This includes the following:
- the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources which each of the parties to the marriage has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future, including in the case of earning capacity any increase in that capacity which it would in the opinion of the court be reasonable to expect a party to the marriage to take steps to acquire;
- the financial needs, obligations and responsibilities which each of the parties to the marriage has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future;
- the standard of living enjoyed by the family before the breakdown of the marriage;
- the age of each party to the marriage and the duration of the marriage;
- any physical or mental disability of either of the parties to the marriage;
- the contributions which each of the parties has made or is likely in the foreseeable future to make to the welfare of the family, including any contribution by looking after the home or caring for the family;
- the conduct of each of the parties, if that conduct is such that it would in the opinion of the court be inequitable to disregard it;
- in the case of proceedings for divorce or nullity of marriage, the value to each of the parties to the marriage of any benefit (for example, a pension) which, by reason of the dissolution or annulment of the marriage, that party will lose the chance of acquiring.
A Section 25 Statement is typically ordered by a Judge at the Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) hearing, to be filed with the Court and served upon your ex-partner a few weeks before the final hearing. This provides you with the opportunity to review your ex-partners statement prior to the final hearing so that they can be cross examined on the contents of the statement.
If you have any questions about this issue, please contact our specialist divorce and finance team who would be happy to assist.
Because we are here to help you.
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