Litigant in Person v using a Solicitor
There has been a recent increase of people going to court for family law matters without instructing, or at least visiting, a Solicitor to gain professional legal advice about their case.
The assumption is that this is due to people being unable or unwilling to pay Solicitors fees.
Reasons and benefits to seek advice from a Solicitor
- Opportunity to discuss options
- Hostility can be reduced
- Receive their expert advice
- You may not have to go to court
- The process will be more efficient
- Clear guidance about the legal aspects of the case
- The Solicitor can attend court hearings with their clients
- Solicitors look to remove emotional tensions
You may choose to represent yourself in court, known as being a Litigant in Person. However various important considerations must be made, such as what impact could this have on the children? If it is for financial purposes, courts fees for the most part, are still payable (in certain circumstanced they can be waived but this should not be assumed.)
Lawson-West Solicitors offer free initial appointments and flexible payment options.
If a Solicitor deals with a client’s case, they will deal with all of the background; their paperwork will be reviewed and they will be looking to reach a resolution between their client and their ex-partner. If this stage is bypassed and clients head straight to court, the Judge then has to carry out this work in real time which is not an efficient use of their time or resources.
Head of the Lawson-West Family department, Alistair Dobson, comments: “My team and I are sympathetic to the needs of our clients, and we fully acknowledge that each set of circumstances are completely individual.
We run drop-in sessions for clients to receive complementary initial advice because it is important to be fully aware of the legal processes involved with a divorce for example.
We are flexible in our approach to all cases and you will receive support, and a funding option, tailored on your own circumstances.”
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