How to Choose a Cheshire Child Contact Solicitor

Let’s face it, when it comes to choosing a Cheshire child contact solicitor, it is hard to know where to start. There’s loads of choice and at Evolve Family Law we have never seen an advert from a child contact solicitor that doesn’t profess to be a child contact specialist or expert in the field of children law.

So, how do you choose a Cheshire child contact solicitor? At Evolve Family Law we have put together some tips to help you find the child contact solicitor who is right for you.

​Tips on Choosing a Cheshire Child Contact Solicitor

Our top tips on choosing a Cheshire child contact solicitor:

1. Take time to see if you can work with the child contact solicitor

Every parent and every children law solicitor is different so it is important that you take the time to speak to your proposed solicitor to see if you can work with them. That doesn’t mean that you have to like your solicitor (although that does help) but you do need to respect their advice and judgement even if the advice isn’t always what you want to hear.

A good child contact solicitor will tell you that their job isn’t to tell you what you want to hear from them or to agree with you using the philosophy that ‘’the client is always right’’. The solicitor’s job is to ask hard questions and give you honest and robust advice so you don’t waste your time and money in child contact fights that you aren’t going to win. It is easier to take that advice on board if there is an element of trust with your solicitor and respect for their professionalism and advice.

2. Will the solicitor listen to you?

One of the biggest grounds for complaints about children law solicitors is that they don’t always take the time to listen to you and to your concerns as a parent. A good child contact solicitor will tell you that the ability to listen and pick up on the nuances is just as important as the ability to be an effective advocate at a children court hearing.

3. Is the child contact solicitor an expert?

Solicitors tend to specialise in family law but within that field solicitors will go onto become experts in particular areas such as children law and parental alienation or child abduction or child relocation. If your solicitor is an expert in conveyancing, Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney as well as child contact then they not have as much expertise as you first thought. An expert isn’t upset if you ask about their experience in your particular children law area of concern.

4. What do other people say about the child contact solicitor?

A recommendation to a Cheshire child contact solicitor by a friend or family member can be comforting and put you at your ease but you still need to do your homework to make sure that you can work with the child contact solicitor and that they specialise in the particular legal area that you need help with. After all the solicitor may have been brilliant with the negotiations for an international prenuptial agreement but do they have the expertise and experience to handle, for example, a former partner with a narcissistic personality disorder who is hell bent on making your life as miserable as possible?

Solicitors tend to rely on personal recommendations and they are always very grateful to receive them as there is nothing more powerful than the words of a client.

Here is what one children law client wrote about children law solicitor Louise Halford in June 2020:

‘’ The team at Evolve Family Law are the best. Louise Halford got me through a very difficult time with my family law matters finding a suitable arrangement in the children’s best interests. Louise Halford’s professionalism is a credit to her. But more importantly she showed empathy, patience and care delivered through friendly and honest advice. Louise Halford had my back from start to finish. I can’t thank you enough…..thank you for being by my side.’’

Another children law client was more succinct in his praise of Louise Halford and said in June 2020:

‘’You are a star from heaven.’’

5. Is the solicitor upfront about costs, timescales and what to expect?

Going to court isn’t an easy option for most parents so it is best to find a Cheshire child contact solicitor who is clear about your alternative options, such as family mediation, and will talk you through what to expect in terms of costs, timescales and the court process. That way you can make an informed decision about whether a child arrangements order application or a prohibited steps order application is the best option for you and your family.

Read more about the ethos of the Cheshire child contact solicitors at Evolve Family Law.

Our Cheshire Child Contact Solicitors

If you need legal help with child contact or need representation in children law proceedings for a child arrangements order or other type of children law order then call Holmes Chapel based Evolve Cheshire children solicitorsor contact us online. Appointments are available in person, through video conferencing, Skype or by telephone.