The First Meeting

Everything at Family First Solicitors starts with the initial consultation. It is the foundation of how we work with clients.

Why “as long as it takes”?

Some firms offer a free half hour. The problem is that half an hour is not enough. There is no way for someone to get across years of their story and situation in that time.

A ticking clock makes people anxious. Complicated relationships, where there is a lot of nuance and quite unsettling behaviour involved, cannot be covered in half an hour. You cannot even cover it in an hour.

A deep dive into what is going on, including real legal advice about next steps, takes an hour and a half, sometimes two hours. That is the time it takes to establish the rapport and trust needed for the person speaking to our lawyers to feel genuinely understood.

What the Meeting Is

It is not a sales pitch. That is really important. If you felt sold to in that meeting, you would feel insulted. So would we.

Many people talk about how unburdened they feel afterwards. They leave feeling clear about what is in their power and what is not. It is a no pressure meeting. We are not trying to get you to instruct us. We want you to come away feeling you received really good advice and to know where to find us if you need us again.

We have had people come back ten years after first speaking to one of our lawyers to say they are ready now.

That is why our strap-line has always been Ready When You Are. It is not about when we are ready to help. It is about when you are ready to be helped.

The decision to unravel a marriage, a partnership, or to start a long-brewing argument over children is a heavy one. Many people find even the decision to come and see us as significant and profound. We understand that. It is not just a legal meeting. It is much more than that.

What to Expect

We have worked with all kinds of people. Some find it hard to talk. Some find it hard to stop.

People often bring paperwork: communications from an ex, letters from a lawyer, court documents. If you bring something, we will look at it and give our opinion on what you should do about it.

It is a constructive meeting. You should not leave having just told us about yourself. You should leave knowing what you should be doing next, if anything.

We have had consultations where the outcome has been: you do not need to do anything, or this is not a legal problem, stay away from lawyers. We have said that many times.

You do not have to come alone. Bring a friend, a parent, whoever you want. You can take notes, record the session, or request a transcript afterwards. We use modern tools to capture the advice so nothing is missed.

While the consultation follows a format to make sure we cover everything you need to know, it is not rigid. It is tailored to you.

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More Than Just the Law

Our lawyers work this way because this is how they like to work. We are people as well as lawyers. You cannot do this job without recognising that there is always more going on than just the legal side.

Whether you are worried about dysfunction in the relationship, how the children are being treated, or issues that go well beyond what is strictly legal, we are there for that too.

Costs

Cost is a huge issue for most people and we will talk about it. You will leave knowing where you stand, what action needs to be taken and what that will cost. We will make things as affordable as possible.

In Person or Online

The consultation can take place in person at our offices or online. Either works.

What Happens After

You will leave knowing that you have spent your time and money well. For many people, this is where the relationship with us begins. It is not a pitch. It is a chance to find out whether we can help you with your specific situation, and whether working together makes sense.

You will leave knowing where you stand legally, what might happen next, and what your next move needs to be.

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Call us now

Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm

Out of hours?

Fill in the form and we'll call you.

Ready to Book?

Book your initial meeting for £180