The Pros & Cons Of Online Divorce
In his latest blog, Family Law Solicitor Adrian Rose discusses the pros and cons of online divorce …….
A recent editorial piece in the Law Society’s Gazette reminded me of a conversation that I’d had with a colleague a few days before.
The author of the article was commenting on what a potential client might look for when choosing a divorce lawyer, whether that was just about the cheapest option and whether clients shop around to find that.
In the month or so before the article was published, we had received an unusually large number of enquiries from new clients who were looking for advice about legal documents that they had downloaded from the internet or bought online and wished to have checked before, in most cases, they were to be sent to the Family Court. In all of these cases, they would have been rejected by the Court and in some would have created problems in the future, rather than resolve them.
Searching For ‘Divorce’ Online
The internet can be a wonderful resource and we all now use it constantly to look for information and prices before we do anything, and professional services are no different. However, we all know that the internet is sometimes a dangerous place with those who wish to take advantage of us, only a click away.
Some of the documents that clients had obtained and paid for looked official, others did not. Without legal knowledge and experience it would be difficult to tell the difference and mistakes within the documents may have had long lasting consequences. The legal costs and time to resolve the problems arising would have been substantial.
Benefits Of Using A Local Law Firm
Most solicitors’ firms will offer a range of options in terms of costs and pricing for the professional services that they provide. This can be matching the experience of the lawyer dealing with a case to its level of complexity, by giving clear estimates of costs throughout and by offering fixed fee or other packages in appropriate circumstances to remove fears about large or unexpected costs.
There can be no substitute for professional legal advice when involved with the legal system. Early advice can often resolve matters quickly, prevent problems in the future and avoid large legal bills rather than create them, giving value for money.
The moral of the story is that whilst we all love a bargain, if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.
Further information on separation and divorce can be found in the Family Law section of our website or contact any of the team on freephone 0800 011 6666.
Adrian Rose
September 2020