The Barrister Blog: Sponsored blog post: Modern divorce factors: a ...

New research has shown that the number of divorces in England and Wales increased by five per cent year-on-year in 2010; the first rise since 2003.

The upward trend is not something that Gemma Hope, a Brighton solicitor specialising in Family and Matrimonial Law, believes has been particularly noticeable. However, Gemma has made note of lots of other trends associated with divorce caseloads since she joined Sussex solicitors Mayo Wynne Baxter in 2006.An increasing number of people feel compelled to investigate the option of divorce because of the unique strains placed on relationships by modern lifestyle factors.Recession: a good time to divorce?Gemma said: ?Some people with substantial savings, business interests or property who have been in troublesome relationships for sometime often feel a recession is the best time for them to get divorced. These people think that as their assets are currently at a low value they could get a better settlement in the long term.?Recession: a bad time to divorce??Other people with money woes currently take the view that they can?t afford to divorce at the moment. If they are already financially struggling to maintain one household then the thought of having to maintain two is often too much of a daunting prospect for both husband and wife.?Social networking and divorce?Social media networking is now a huge factor in many people?s lives and is a common and useful tool for communication between friends and family.? However, I have also seen it having a negative impact on some relationships. Some people use it to ?spy? on their partners, others go online to contact ex-partners; dangerously rekindling old feelings.Then there are the cases of people washing their dirty linen in public by posting status updates about arguments and marriage problems. Tagging and uploading photographs can also cause marital strife and tension.? I?ve certainly noticed an increase in the mention of social media sites within divorce particulars over the past few years.? ?More and more people, perhaps due to lack of money, are trying to sort out the divorce themselves. Frequently these DIY lawyers realise later on down the line that matters haven?t been dealt with properly. As well as sorting out the actual divorce there are often other issues that need to be addressed such as division of financial assets including pensions, investments, property, tax issues and the arrangements for the children. It is always best to at least get some initial advice from a family lawyer before embarking upon the divorce process on your own. Checking whether you are on the right track is always a sensible precaution; a good lawyer will be honest and advise you of all the options available to you including what aspects can be done without legal representation.? ?Many people in troublesome relationships do try to put on a brave face over Christmas, especially if there are children involved. Christmas can be a very stressful time for families and lead relationships that are already experiencing difficulties to breaking point. Furthermore, January is traditionally the time when people take stock of their lives and start to take the steps they need to make changes for the future. This is therefore often the time that people seek advice about separation and divorce/dissolution. After the summer holidays can also be a busy time. Again, the extra time families often spend with each other during the summer can result in additional tensions being caused. When the children go back to school many people have more time to think things through and seek advice about a way forward for the future.? ?There have been many changes to the law regarding same-sex couples? legal rights; changes such as 2005?s Civil Partnerships Act and 2008?s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. Legal rights for same-sex couples are catching up, but many still face more complicated issues than those in heterosexual relationships.?If you do find yourself looking for a divorce lawyer, Gemma advises that you prioritise finding one who is ???????? A member of Resolution???????? Personable and empathetic???????? Able to find pragmatic solutions; both in the short and long term???????? Capable of calling on a good network of other professionals that they work with such as counsellors, therapists, accountants, financial advisers, tax advisers, mediators and other lawyers

Still not sure what the purpose of a divorce lawyer?s job is? Gemma describes it best when she says: ?We?re here to help move people forward in their lives in the most positive way possible.?

Source: http://timkevan.blogspot.com/2012/02/sponsored-blog-post-modern-divorce.html

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