Dealing with divorce and other family law matters can be very stressful and confusing. You need to navigate both the practical side of things and the emotional fallout in a way that gives you the best possible new start.

At Lewis Denley, we are here to make your life easier. Offering clear, sensible advice on your situation and what you need to do, our family lawyers can guide you through even the most challenging matters with sensitivity and empathy.

For a free 30-minute consultation, please contact Marwa Hadi-Barnes today.

Based in central Horsham, our family law solicitors advise clients across Sussex, Surrey and beyond, including in Dorking, Crawley, Ewhurst, Rudgwick, Copthorne, Billingshurst, Pulborough, Guildford, Reigate, Gatwick, Midhurst and Godalming.

Our family law advice covers:

• Divorce and separation
• Civil partnership dissolution
• Divorce financial settlements and disputes
• Child arrangements
• Pre-nuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements
• Cohabitation agreements and disputes between unmarried couples
• Police divorce and pensions
• Domestic abuse injunctions and harassment protection
• Changing your name and changing children’s names

Our family law practice is led by Senior Associate Solicitor Marwa Hadi-Barnes, who has over 14 years’ experience as a family law specialist.

Marwa has been recognised for her standout expertise in leading client guides the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She is a member of family law network Resolution, an organisation that shares her commitment to removing conflict from family law.

Our family law pricing is clear and transparent, with options including fixed fee divorce and deferred fee agreements to suit you.

We take pride in being approachable, helpful and here for our community, so if you have any questions about a family law dilemma, please do contact Marwa Hadi-Barnes who will be happy to hear from you.

Why choose Lewis Denley’s family law team?

Our client promise

Our family lawyers in Horsham are committed to offering the very best client service. As such, we make the following commitments to our clients:

• We will respond to all emails sent during working hours within 24 hours.
• We pick up our phone, so you can always reach us when you need us.
• You will be able to directly speak to your solicitor who is an experienced expert in family law.
• We listen to you and get to know you, so we can offer advice tailored to your unique circumstances and concerns.
• We really care about our clients. We treat our clients how we want to be treated and rely on word-of mouth-referrals.
• We explain things clearly, in plain English, with no unnecessary legal jargon.

About Lewis Denley Solicitors

• We are one of the highest rated solicitors by clients in Sussex and the highest rated in Horsham on Trustpilot and Google reviews.
• We take advantage of modern technology to make your life easier. You don’t have to worry about sending in identification or printing and posting documents. We have invested in IT systems that can help you do this remotely in complete safety.
• Unlike traditional law firms, we don’t reward our staff based on their billing and time spent on your matter as this does not encourage an efficient service for clients. Instead, we reward our staff based on the thing clients actually care about – the quality of the service we provide.
• Although we are a young firm, we are experienced. Many of our legal team have worked in their practice areas for years, with a wealth of combined experience across the firm.
• The majority of our work is obtained by word of mouth, reflecting our commitment to great service and giving us a real incentive to continue to deliver on that commitment.
• We are proud of our town and county and are keen to support local. Our staff are mainly local and we are passionate about our community, sponsoring and getting involved with a number of organisations throughout West Sussex.

Find out more about Lewis Denley Solicitors.

Our family law services

Divorce and separation

The end of a relationship is never easy, but going through divorce proceedings can be particularly daunting. On top of the legal process to end your marriage, there are also usually a range of other issues to consider, including what happens to your home, savings, pensions and any children you have.

Our family law solicitors in Horsham can be by your side through every part of divorce proceedings, making sure every issue is properly considered and dealt with in the best way for your future.

Our expertise includes:

• Initiating divorce proceedings
• Responding to divorce proceedings
• Divorce financial settlements
• Arrangements for children

See how we can help with divorce and separation.

Civil partnership dissolution

Dissolving a civil partnership is similar to divorce in most ways, although the legal process is slightly different. What isn’t different is the need to balance the personal issues against the practicalities that have to be worked out.

Our family lawyers can advise you on the process for ending a civil partnership, as well as assisting with all of the related issues you need to resolve.

Our expertise includes:

• Initiating civil partnership dissolution proceedings
• Responding to civil partnership dissolution proceedings
• Division of finances in civil partnership dissolution
• Arrangements for children during civil partnership dissolution

See how we can help with civil partnership dissolution.

Divorce financial settlements and disputes

Dividing your finances is normally the most technically challenging part of divorce, civil partnership dissolution and separation. It is essential to make sure any settlement you reach is sufficient to meet your needs and the needs of any children you have.

Our family law solicitors in Horsham are highly skilled in dealing with divorce finances, including complex assets such as pensions and business interests. We can give you the best chance of reaching a fair settlement amicably, while also being fully prepared to take robust action through the courts where needed.

Our expertise includes:

• Negotiated divorce settlements
• Using mediation for divorce financial disputes
• Applying to the Family Court for a Financial Order where a settlement cannot be agreed

See how we can help with divorce financial settlements and disputes.

Child arrangements

If you have children, this can make the end of a relationship particularly difficult for the whole family. However, with the right approach, it is usually possible to achieve a ‘new normal’ that works for both parents and, crucially, for your children’s best interests.

Our family lawyers take a child-focused approach to these issues, making sure that what is best for your children is always kept at the heart of matters. However, we also strongly believe in protecting the rights of parents, so will work proactively to make sure your relationship with your children does not suffer.

Our expertise includes:

• Negotiating arrangements for children
• Applying to a Family Court for a Child Arrangement Order
• Relocation of children following divorce and separation

See how we can help with child arrangements.

Pre-nuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements

It is increasingly common for couples to make a pre-nuptial agreement (‘pre-nup’) before marriage or a post-nuptial agreement (‘post-nup’) during the course of their marriage. This can provide both parties with peace of mind over their future financial security and avoid the potential for disputes in the event of separation.

Our family lawyers in Horsham understand how sensitive these matters can be, as well as the importance of getting a fair agreement for both parties. We can advise on what to include in an agreement and advise on whether an agreement reflects your best interests.

Our expertise includes:

• Negotiating pre-nups and post-nups
• Drafting pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
• Reviewing pre-nups and post-nups
• The application of pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements during divorce

See how we can help with pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements.

Cohabitation agreements and disputes between unmarried couples

Most couples now live together before getting married or entering a civil partnership, with a growing number of couples choosing to remain unmarried. While this can be the right choice for many couples, it is important to consider what would happen if you ever separate.

Our family lawyers can advise on making a cohabitation agreement that sets out how your assets (including your home) would be divided in the event of separation. This can remove the potential for tension in your relationship and make things much simpler if your relationship ends. We can also support you through a separation, whether you have made a cohabitation agreement or not.

See how we can help with cohabitation agreements and unmarried couples.

Police divorce and pensions

For police officers and their families, divorce and separation can be especially hard. This is particularly true when it comes to the matter of police pensions, but also the need to deal with the process and make plans for the future around the shift patterns of serving police officers.

Our family law solicitor Marwa Hadi-Barnes has particular expertise in advising police officers and their families on divorce, civil partnership and dissolution, having helped more than 500 Police Federation members nationwide.

Our expertise includes:

• Police pensions
• Child arrangements for police officers working irregular hours
• Family law advice for Police Federation members

See how we can help with police divorce.

Domestic abuse injunctions and harassment protection

Domestic abuse can take many forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, sexual and financial abuse. None of these types of abuse are acceptable and it is important to realise that there are strong steps that can be taken to deal with your abuser.

We can take swift action to protect you and your loved ones if you have suffered domestic abuse. We recognise how hard these situations can be and how difficult it is to reach out for help, but please be assured we will always be ready to listen to you and advise on your options in complete confidence.

Our expertise includes:

• Emergency Protection Orders
• Non-molestation Orders
• Occupation Orders
• Restraining Orders
• Prohibited Steps Orders

See how we can help with domestic abuse injunctions.

Changing your name and changing children’s names

Changing your own name as an adult is often relatively straightforward, especially when getting married or divorced. However, there are situations where things can be more complicated and, if you need to change the name of a child, there is a legal process you need to go through.

Our family lawyers in Horsham can advise you on everything you need to do to change your name or the name of a child, making the process as swift and straightforward as possible.

Our expertise includes:

• Change of name deeds (changing your name by deed poll)
• Obtaining parental consent to change a child’s name
• Applying to the Family Court for a Specific Issue Order to change a child’s name without the other parent’s consent

Our family law solicitor’s fees

The legal costs involved in divorce and family law are, understandably, a concern for many people. We are committed to transparency with our family law pricing, so will always be upfront about the costs involved in dealing with your matter, including our fees and any third-party costs.

We offer fixed fee divorce and deferred fee agreements where appropriate. We will be happy to discuss all of the likely costs involved once we have a clearer picture of your requirements, which is something we can cover during your free initial consultation.

Book a free 30-minute consultation with our family law solicitor

We want to make divorce and family law as easy as possible. If you have any questions about how we can help you navigate this challenging time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our specialist family law solicitor will be happy to offer a free 30-minute consultation over the phone or via videoconference.

To arrange your free 30-minute consultation, please contact Marwa Hadi-Barnes today.