Civil Partnerships

A civil partnership gives you similar rights to marriage. If you are thinking about entering into a civil partnership, you can consider making a pre-civil partnership agreement. If you wish to dissolve your civil partnership, then you will need to put a financial settlement in place and make arrangements for any children you have.

At Lawrence Stephens, we deal with all aspects of civil partnership. Our Family Law Team has extensive experience in representing those entering into civil partnerships as well as clients who wish to legally end their relationship.

We always work to resolve matters with minimum conflict. As members of the collaborative law group Resolution, we know how to work to negotiate an acceptable outcome. Where necessary, we can guide and support you through alternative dispute resolution such as mediation to resolve difficult issues.

Our expert family lawyers understand how hard it can be to navigate the ending of a relationship and you will find us to be sympathetic and approachable. As well as ensuring your rights and interests are protected, we will help you secure the outcome you and your family need for the future.

Services

• Civil partnership arrangements for children
• Civil partnership dissolution
• Civil partnership financial settlements
• International civil partnership
• Post-civil partnership agreements
• Pre-civil partnership agreements

Pre-civil partnership agreements and post-civil partnership agreements

A pre-civil partnership agreement is similar to a pre-nuptial agreement. It will set out how property and finances will be dealt with, should your relationship end. This can help you enter into your relationship on an open and honest basis as you will both need to make full financial disclosure before the agreement is signed. It can also help misunderstandings and disagreements from arising in the future if you have a clear financial agreement in place.

Civil partnership dissolution

We can apply to dissolve your civil partnership if you have decided that you wish to end it. This is a relatively straightforward process; however you are strongly advised to seek legal advice as you will usually need to deal with other issues at the same time such as putting a financial settlement in place.

Civil partnership financial settlements

If you end your civil partnership but do not have a financial order, it would be open to your former partner to make a claim against you in the future as dissolution does not end your financial obligations to each other.

We can work to put a financial settlement in place ensuring that you have the financial stability you need for the future.

Civil partnership arrangements for children

If you and your partner have children, you will need to make child arrangements setting out where they will live and how long they will spend with each partner. The courts prefer that these arrangements are made without the need for litigation wherever possible. We can help you negotiate and where necessary refer you to mediation.