Confidential initial consultation by arrangement. The firm publishes a costs page. Contact the firm to ask about legal aid.
Office
Ship Canal House, 98 King Street, Manchester, M2 4WU
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Hall Brown is a family law firm set up in Manchester in April 2016 by Sam Hall and James Brown, who still lead it as senior and managing partners. Manchester is its head office, and it now has teams in five other cities. The work leans towards complex money cases: high value divorce, business and trust assets, and nuptial agreements, alongside children and domestic abuse matters. The firm says every one of its lawyers is a member of Resolution. It suits people with significant or complicated finances. First contact is a confidential consultation, and the firm publishes a costs page.
Founded in 2016
Also worth knowing
James Brown's profile lists reported cases including Sharland v Sharland in the Supreme Court.
Lawyers
Ask which partner will run your case and which office they work from.
Sam Hall, Senior Partner and co-founder
James Brown, Managing Partner and co-founder
Andrew Newbury, Partner
Beth Wilkins, Partner
Katie Welton-Dillon, Partner
Sarah Manning, Partner, Head of Non-Court Dispute Resolution
Areas of family law handled
Divorce and dissolution
Financial settlements
Enforcement of financial orders
Child arrangements
Financial support for children
Domestic abuse injunctions
Pre-nuptial agreements
Cohabitation agreements and unmarried couples
Surrogacy and adoption
International family cases
Mediation and non-court dispute resolution
Office
Ship Canal House, 98 King Street, Manchester, M2 4WU
Phone or online enquiry with a call back at a convenient time. Out of hours calls and video meetings for overseas clients can be arranged. Ask the firm whether your case could be funded by legal aid.
Office
125 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BY
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
JMW is a full service firm based on Deansgate with a family team of more than 40 lawyers across Manchester, Liverpool and London, according to the firm. Michael Chapman leads the Manchester family team and handles high value divorce and contested prenuptial agreements, including one of the few such cases to reach the Court of Appeal, his profile says. The team also covers children, fertility and surrogacy, domestic abuse, hidden assets and international cases. It suits people with business, property or overseas wealth at stake. Enquiries get a call back, and video meetings can be set up for clients abroad.
Also worth knowing
The family pages list arbitration and mediation among the non-court routes the team advises on.
Lawyers
JMW has more family partners than are listed here, so ask who will handle your case in Manchester.
Michael Chapman, Partner, Head of Family (Manchester)
Trinity Way, central Manchester, plus WiganFull service firm
Best for Parents facing contested children or care proceedings
Victoria Gethin, Head of Family Law, is accredited under Resolution's Specialist Accreditation Scheme and has been on the Law Society Children Panel since 2006, according to her profile on the firm's website.
The firm's website says it has nine Children Law accredited lawyers and six accredited under Resolution's Specialist Accreditation Scheme.
It lists membership of Resolution, Reunite and the Association of Lawyers for Children.
Fixed fee initial consultation of up to one hour, followed by a written advice letter. Fixed fee options for some work; other private work is charged hourly. Contact the firm to ask about legal aid.
Office
Units 11 and 12 Brewery Yard, Deva City Office Park, Trinity Way, Manchester, M3 7BB
Other numbers
Manchester office 0161 979 0219 (the number above is for family enquiries)
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Stephensons is a North West firm with a large family department split between Manchester and Wigan. Victoria Gethin heads family law and Emma Roberts leads divorce and finances. Children work is a large part of what the team does, including care proceedings, abduction and domestic abuse, as well as divorce and money. The firm's website says nine of its lawyers hold Law Society Children Law accreditation and six are accredited under Resolution's Specialist Accreditation Scheme. It suits parents in contested children cases and people who want fixed price options. First contact is a paid consultation of up to an hour, followed by a written advice letter.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Legal 500 has ranked its family team in Tier 1 for each year from 2020 to 2027.
Lawyers
Part of the family team works from the firm's Wigan office.
Victoria Gethin, Partner, Head of Family Law
Emma Roberts, Partner, Head of Divorce and Finances
Rachel Benett, Partner
Tim Galbraith, Partner
Gwyneth John, Partner
Jackie Price, Partner
Victoria Melluish, Senior Associate Solicitor
Jack Chapman, Associate Solicitor
Meerab Mazhar, Solicitor
Claire Pilling, Associate CILEX Lawyer
Areas of family law handled
Divorce
Civil partnership dissolution
Financial settlements
Business assets on divorce
Child arrangements orders
Care proceedings
Social services involvement
Child abduction
Domestic abuse
Fixed price family services
Office
Units 11 and 12 Brewery Yard, Deva City Office Park, Trinity Way, Manchester, M3 7BB
McAlister Family Law is a family only firm set up and led by managing partner Amanda McAlister, and now part of the Beyond Law Group. Its Manchester base is in a converted warehouse in Castlefield. The firm covers divorce, money, children and domestic abuse, and has real depth on children work: it says ten of its lawyers are on the Law Society Children Law accreditation scheme. It also says it has won Family Law Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards more than once. It suits people who want a dedicated family firm. First consultations are free.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Legal 500 ranks it in the top tier for family law.
Lawyers
The partners are listed on the firm's Manchester page; it does not say which office each works from.
Rights, likely process and costs explained at the initial consultation, with fixed fees for certain services. No legal aid, but funding options are discussed.
Office
The Apiary, 86 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2ER
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Slater Heelis is a Manchester and Sale firm with a family team of about twenty, led by partner Charlotte Beck, who also heads the Manchester office. The team handles divorce, including high net worth, international, Islamic and Jewish divorce, alongside children, adoption, surrogacy, domestic abuse and nuptial agreements. The firm says every senior family lawyer is trained in non-court dispute resolution, and Charlotte Beck is a collaboratively trained lawyer on a Resolution committee. It suits Trafford clients as well as the city centre. Fee estimates come at the first consultation, with fixed fees for some work. No legal aid.
Also worth knowing
The firm says its family team was highly commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026.
Lawyers
Ask whether your lawyer works from Manchester, Sale or Chester.
Charlotte Beck, Partner, Head of Family and Head of Manchester
Alexandra Goldrein, Partner
Vicki McLynn, Partner
Kaleel Anwar, Partner
Claire Higham, Associate Partner
Kim Aucott, Consultant Solicitor
Jodi Tuson, Associate Solicitor
Chloe Huggins, Associate Solicitor
Gabriella Basiuk, Associate Solicitor
Amy Price, Associate Solicitor
Areas of family law handled
Divorce
High net worth divorce
Financial settlements
Child arrangements
Child maintenance
International child abduction
Adoption and surrogacy
Cohabitation agreements
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
Domestic abuse injunctions
Collaborative law
Family mediation
Office
The Apiary, 86 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2ER
Other details
Other offices
Sale (Crossgate House, Cross Street, M33), Chester; appointment only meeting locations elsewhere
Best for People with complex or cross border finances open to mediation
Nathaniel Groarke is accredited in complex financial and property matters under Resolution's Specialist Accreditation Scheme, according to his profile on the firm's website.
Phillip Rhodes is described as a Resolution accredited partner and mediator based in Manchester.
Groarke's profile lists Chambers and Partners Band 4 and Legal 500 Next Generation Partner for 2025.
An expert contacts enquirers by the next working day, the firm says. Fixed fee divorce is available. Virtual appointments offered. Contact the firm to ask about legal aid.
Office
One St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 3AF
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Irwin Mitchell is a national firm with a family team in its St Peter's Square office. Locally the work centres on high value divorce, business and trust assets, hidden assets, prenuptial agreements and international children cases, including relocation. Partner Nathaniel Groarke is accredited in complex financial matters under Resolution's Specialist Accreditation Scheme, and partner Phillip Rhodes is a Resolution accredited mediator, according to the firm's website. The firm also offers fixed fee and out of court divorce routes. It suits people with complex finances who want mediation available in house. The firm says enquirers hear from a lawyer by the next working day.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Legal 500 ranks it top tier for family law in the North West.
Spinningfields, Manchester city centre, with a North West team covering Stockport, Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale and BlackburnCrime, family and children law firm
Legal aid for eligible cases. The firm explains that care proceedings legal aid is non means and non merits tested for parents and children, other family matters are means and merits tested. Private clients get a fixed fee, no obligation first conversation, with video and phone meetings available.
Cartwright King is a national firm best known for crime, with a sizeable family and children team working from Spinningfields. Its Manchester work is strong on care proceedings, where it acts for parents, children and relatives, and it holds a Legal Aid Agency family contract. It also handles divorce, finances, domestic abuse injunctions and nuptial agreements, and offers family mediation. Its children lawyers include Children Panel solicitor Katie Jackson, and the firm says it won two Manchester Resolution awards in 2026. It suits parents facing social services. Legal aid covers eligible cases, and private clients get a fixed fee first consultation.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Legal 500 named it a top tier Leading Firm in 2026.
Lawyers
Catherine Woolley, Regional Head of Care, Manchester and Stockport
Katie Jackson, Children Panel Solicitor
Jean Flanagan, Children Panel Solicitor, Regional Head for Bolton and Wigan
Callback request through the website, then in person or remote appointments. The firm publishes a fees and procedures page. Contact the firm to ask about legal aid.
Office
Blackfriars House, St Marys Parsonage, Manchester, M3 2JA
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
MSB Solicitors is a North West firm with offices in Liverpool and Manchester and a family team it calls one of the largest in the region. Head of family Dr Emma Palmer focuses on complex, high risk children cases, and the team also covers divorce, money, domestic abuse injunctions, honour based abuse, surrogacy, adoption and international work. The firm says Chambers and Partners 2026 ranks its family team Band 2 in the North West. It suits families with difficult children issues or abuse concerns. First contact is a callback request, with meetings in person or remotely.
Also worth knowing
The team covers honour based abuse and harmful practices as a named service.
Lawyers
The family team works across the firm's offices, so ask which lawyer is based in Manchester.
Dr Emma Palmer, Partner, Head of Family
John Owens, Partner
Lucy Eatough, Senior Associate Solicitor
Eva Tite, Solicitor
Emma Squires, Consultant Solicitor
Jane Sampson, Consultant Solicitor
Areas of family law handled
Divorce and separation
Financial settlements
Child arrangements
Domestic abuse injunctions
Honour based abuse and harmful practices
International family law
Adoption
Surrogacy and parental orders
Mediation
LGBTQIA+ family law
Office
Blackfriars House, St Marys Parsonage, Manchester, M3 2JA
Stowe Family Law is a national family only firm with an office in Spinningfields. The Manchester lawyers sit within a wider North West and Greater Manchester group of partners and solicitors. They cover divorce and money, children, cohabitation, fertility law, domestic abuse and nuptial agreements, and offer collaborative divorce, mediation support and arbitration routes. The firm says its Manchester lawyers are Resolution accredited members. It suits people who want a family only firm with long phone hours and a free first callback. Legal aid is not offered, and office meetings are by appointment.
Also worth knowing
Partner Jennifer Reddy, who covers the North West and Yorkshire, is listed as a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer.
Lawyers
Many of the firm's lawyers cover more than one region, so ask who will handle your case from Manchester.
Helen Miller, Managing Partner, North West
Nastassia Burton, Managing Partner, Greater Manchester and Yorkshire
Katie Kilburn, Team Leader Partner, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester
Angela Sussens, Partner, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester
Cheryl Grace, Partner, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester
Contact by phone, email or online form. Contact the firm to ask about first appointment terms and legal aid.
Office
100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester
Other numbers
Manchester office 0161 836 8800 (the number above is for family enquiries)
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Brabners is a North West full service firm whose family team of around 25, led by partner Cara Nuttall, works from Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Preston. In Manchester it handles divorce and finances, including international divorce, children cases such as relocation and abduction, cohabitation, fertility and surrogacy, and nuptial agreements. The firm says its team includes qualified arbitrators, collaborative lawyers and lawyers who offer one lawyer, one couple advice, and that it is Resolution accredited. It suits people with cross border or fertility related issues. Contact is by phone, email or online form. Contact the firm to ask about first appointment terms.
Also worth knowing
It was commended for family law in The Times Best Law Firms 2026, according to the firm.
Firm details come from each firm's own website. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
How we compiled this list
We include firms with an office in Manchester that do family law as a main part of their work. We read each firm's own website in October 2026, checked it says it is regulated by the SRA, and wrote the descriptions ourselves. Accreditations and first consultation terms are as the firm describes them, so confirm them when you call. Google ratings are shown with the date we checked them where we have them. You can check any solicitor or firm on the SRA Solicitors Register.
No firm pays for its place on this list, and the order is our own.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws, court fees and court details are as published on legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK, the judiciary and HM Courts and Tribunals Service in October 2026, and apply in England and Wales.
Divorce in England and Wales
No fault divorce has applied since 6 April 2022. One or both of you apply with a statement that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and the court must accept that statement. You don't have to prove adultery, behaviour or a period of separation, so there's nothing to argue about on the divorce itself. The same rules apply to ending a civil partnership.
You can't apply for a divorce until you've been married for one year. In the first year you can apply for a legal separation or an annulment instead.
Step
What happens
Application
Online or by post, alone or jointly. The court fee is £628, up from £612 on 6 July 2026, and isn't refunded once the application is issued. Help with fees may be available on benefits or a low income
Conditional order
You can apply once 20 weeks have passed since the court issued your application
Final order
You can apply at least 43 days (6 weeks and 1 day) after the conditional order. This is what ends the marriage. Apply within 12 months of the conditional order, or you'll have to explain the delay
That puts the quickest divorce at about six months. Before you apply for the final order, make sure the money side is dealt with, because finishing the divorce first can cost you, particularly where pensions are involved.
Sorting out money and property
The divorce ends the marriage, but it doesn't settle the finances. That needs its own court order.
If you agree: a consent order makes the deal legally binding. The court fee is £62. The court can't approve it before the conditional order, GOV.UK advises applying before the final order, and it only takes effect once the final order is made
If you can't agree: you apply for a financial order on Form A, and the fee is £321. You'll usually have to attend a mediation information meeting first, unless an exemption such as domestic abuse applies
The court process: a first appointment, then a financial dispute resolution (FDR) appointment to help you settle, then a final hearing if you still can't agree. There can be several months between hearings
What the court looks at. Under section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, the court considers all the circumstances, and the welfare of any child under 18 comes first. It also looks at each person's income and earning capacity, needs, the standard of living, ages, the length of the marriage, contributions, including looking after the home and family, and pension rights that would be lost.
Pensions. A pension sharing order doesn't take effect until the divorce is final.
Don't remarry first. If you remarry or form a new civil partnership before applying, you lose the right to apply for most financial orders in your own favour against your former spouse. Make the application before you remarry.
If you weren't married. Cohabiting couples don't have the rights married couples have. GOV.UK describes the current protections for cohabitants as very limited, and a partner has no automatic right to inherit if the other dies without a will. The Ministry of Justice consulted on reform from 5 June to 14 August 2026, but no response has been published and the law hasn't changed.
Arrangements for children
Most parents agree arrangements between themselves or through mediation. If you can't, you can ask the family court to decide.
Child arrangements order: decides where a child lives, who they spend time with and other contact, such as phone calls
Prohibited steps order: stops a parent making certain decisions about the child's upbringing, such as taking them abroad
Specific issue order: settles one question, such as which school a child goes to
You apply online, with 28 days to finish once you start, or by post on form C100. The fee is £270, up from £263 on 6 July 2026, and help with fees may be available.
The MIAM. You'll usually need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting first. You don't have to if, for example, you have evidence of domestic abuse, your children are at risk of harm, the application is urgent or without notice, or you've already tried a MIAM or another way of agreeing in the last 4 months. If you go and your ex doesn't, you can still apply.
Cafcass. A family court adviser from Cafcass will usually be involved. They give the court safeguarding advice, and the court can ask them for a report on what's best for the child, which may include asking the child how they feel.
Parental involvement. In contested cases the court still presumes that each parent being involved in the child's life will further their welfare, unless the evidence shows otherwise. Involvement doesn't mean any particular split of time. The government plans to remove this presumption, and the Courts and Tribunals Bill would do it, but the bill is still in the House of Lords and isn't law.
Child Focused Courts. Some areas now use a different model for children cases, formerly called Pathfinder. Greater Manchester isn't one of them yet and wasn't in the first rollout wave announced in March 2026.
Domestic abuse: getting protection
If you or your children are being harmed or threatened, you can apply to the family court for an injunction. There's no court fee.
Non-molestation order: protects you or your child from being harmed or threatened by the person who abused you
Occupation order: decides who can live in the family home or enter the area around it
Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO): protects against all forms of domestic abuse, and can include conditions such as keeping away from your home, attending a behaviour change programme or wearing an electronic tag
You apply for a non-molestation or occupation order on form FL401, online, by email, by post or in person. You can ask for an emergency order without the other person being told first. This is called a without notice application.
DAPOs in Greater Manchester. DAPOs are only available in a small number of pilot areas, and Greater Manchester is one of them. You can apply if the person you need protection from lives in Greater Manchester, and family court applications go to Manchester, Stockport or Wigan. If they live elsewhere, apply for a non-molestation or occupation order instead.
If you're in immediate danger, contact the police. Legal aid can cover protection from abuse. See the next section.
Mediation and legal aid
Mediation vouchers. The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme gives a one off contribution of up to £500 per case towards mediation sessions, if your mediator confirms the case is eligible. It covers disputes about a child, or money disputes where there's also a dispute about a child. Purely financial cases don't qualify, the voucher doesn't pay for the MIAM, and one voucher covers both of you. The scheme is time limited, but the Ministry of Justice has confirmed it will continue for the 2026 to 2027 financial year. Ask an accredited mediator to apply for it.
Legal aid. Family legal aid is limited, but it can cover:
advice on finances, children or divorce if you've been in an abusive relationship. You'll usually need evidence, for example from the courts, police, social services, a doctor, a refuge or a domestic abuse support service
protection from abuse or harassment, including forced marriage
family mediation on a low income. If both parents qualify, it covers the MIAM, mediation and the consent order application. If only one does, it covers the MIAM and first joint session for both
a child in your family at risk of being taken into care
Most family legal aid is means tested on income, savings and property. There's no financial test if the case is about a child in care or being taken into care, and the limits can be relaxed in domestic abuse and forced marriage cases. Use the GOV.UK legal aid checker, or call Civil Legal Advice on 0345 345 4345, Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 12:30pm. Only some firms do legal aid family work, so ask when you call.
Family courts in Manchester
Family cases in the city are heard at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Here are the courts you're most likely to deal with.
Manchester Civil Justice Centre (Civil and Family Courts): 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester, M60 9DJ. Family cases including divorce, financial remedy, child arrangements, adoption and domestic abuse
Manchester Magistrates' Court: Crown Square, Manchester, M60 1PR. It deals with criminal cases, and with Domestic Abuse Protection Orders applied for by the police or made in criminal cases. If you're applying for a DAPO yourself, you apply to the family court
Contested money cases go through the Financial Remedies Court, which is organised in zones. The Greater Manchester zone sits at Manchester, Stockport and Wigan. Wherever you live in Greater Manchester, your court papers will tell you which court is dealing with your case.
Manchester family law: common questions
How long does a divorce take?
About six months at the quickest. You must wait 20 weeks after the court issues your application before applying for the conditional order, then at least 43 days (6 weeks and 1 day) before applying for the final order. Sorting out the finances can take longer, and it's usually best to have a financial order in place before the final order.
Do I have to prove my husband or wife was at fault?
No. Since 6 April 2022 you only need to state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and the court must accept that. Adultery, behaviour and separation no longer have to be proved.
Does the divorce sort out our money?
No. You need a separate financial order. If you agree, a consent order makes the deal binding, and the court fee is £62. If you can't agree, you apply on Form A, with a £321 fee. Apply before you remarry, because remarrying first means you lose the right to apply for most financial orders in your favour.
Do I have to try mediation before going to court?
Usually you have to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) before applying about children or money. There are exemptions, including evidence of domestic abuse, a child at risk of harm and urgent cases. You don't have to agree to mediate, and if your ex doesn't attend you can still apply.
Can I get legal aid for a family case?
Sometimes. It's mainly available for protection from domestic abuse, for divorce, money or children advice if you've been in an abusive relationship and can show evidence, for mediation on a low income, and where a child may be taken into care. Care cases have no financial test. Call Civil Legal Advice on 0345 345 4345 or use the GOV.UK checker.
Do cohabiting couples have the same rights as married couples?
No. Cohabitants have only very limited protections when a relationship ends, and no automatic right to inherit if a partner dies without a will. The government consulted on reform in summer 2026, but nothing has changed in law.
Is a prenup legally binding?
Not automatically. But since the Supreme Court decision in Radmacher v Granatino in 2010, a court should give effect to a nuptial agreement that each person entered freely, understanding what it meant, unless it would be unfair in the circumstances to hold them to it.
