what we do
The realisation that your relationship may not have a future is one of the most difficult and emotional decisions you can face. It can be a long process and we understand the fear and complexity of this moment.
It can also be complicated legally when there are significant assets, businesses, or children involved. We can provide you with the advice to make informed decisions about the next steps.
With the introduction of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 the process of bringing a marriage to an end is now much easier and can be completed online via the Court portal here.
There are differences between decrees of divorce, nullity and judicial separation and the process for the dissolution of civil partnerships.
We regularly advise clients on the most appropriate process identified above and can either support you whilst you act in person through the court portal identified above or we can formally appear on the record and complete the process on your behalf.
It is very important to resolve the financial aspects alongside the process of ending your relationship. If you do not obtain a financial order alongside the process of ending your relationship you will still both have financial claims against each other and against the other’s estate.
We have specialist and extensive knowledge of resolving financial claims alongside divorce, of resolving claims for our unmarried clients who have children together and for our clients who own a property which has been used as a home during the relationship. This is a detailed and specialist area of the law requiring an in-depth knowledge of the case law, statutory law and procedure. Drawing on our knowledge and expertise garnered over our combined forty years of practice we will consider all the aspects of your case with you carefully before arriving at a tailor made strategy for your case going forwards.
We also regularly advise our clients on how to resolve any disputes over their children. This is similarly a specialist and detailed area requiring not only a detailed knowledge of the case law, statutory law and procedure but also a sensitive and child focused approach in arriving at an outcome within the child’s best interests.
Some couples have an informal or formal separation. If your separation is informal, then it is likely you would agree to arrangements directly with your partner. This would not be suitable if you wished to formalise any financial arrangements, in which case we could assist you by drafting and advising on a separation agreement. This is a legal document which would confirm the arrangements that would be made during the separation. It can then be made final by a court order
This is an alternative to divorce proceedings, but has a similar process. It could be suitable if you do not wish to divorce for religious reasons.
We provide full advice on the divorce process. Unless there are significant complexities, the administration of the divorce is straightforward. Our approach is to ensure the documentation is correct and the process is handled sensitively.
This is the legal process of ending a civil partnership, to allow the parties to move on legally and financially. As with divorce, the process no longer has a fault based system and the administration of the dissolution process is relatively straightforward, as long as there are no significant complexities. We can handle drafting the documentation and approach, to ensure that the process is smooth.
For the financial assets arising out of the breakdown of a relationship to be resolved, it is important that there is a computation exercise and then a division exercise. Fairness is the overriding principle and there is no set formula in how to achieve this. The court considers all of the circumstances of the case, which is done by looking at the factors in section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. The court will then calculate what assets there are and distribute the parties’ available assets in order to try to achieve a fair outcome. The law in relation to finances in England and Wales is discretionary and there is always a bracket that a case will settle in. We can provide specialist advice in this area and advice on what your likely settlement could be.
Full and frank disclosure is required of financial resources in any family law process involving the division of assets. This is a legal requirement and if one party does not provide full and frank disclosure, there can be cost penalties or adverse inferences drawn. Disclosure is vital to being able to advise on what a suitable financial settlement could look like.
Many of our clients favour a private FDR which is an alternative method to resolve a financial dispute outside of court. At a private FDR, a judge is appointed (normally an acting judge, a specialist family law barrister, or a retired judge), and will provide an indication of how they would decide the case, if the case was in court proceedings. Whilst this indication is not legally binding, as the process is without prejudice, it provides a confidential setting, where both parties have space and time to try to reach a settlement with the assistance of the privately appointed judge and their legal representatives, which is then formalised into a court order. This process has a high success rate.
This process is distinct from a private FDR, as this is a process where a legally trained, neutral third party (the arbitrator), who is often an acting judge or family law barrister makes a binding decision on financial matters or child arrangements, as they would in court proceedings. The advantage of this process compared to the court process is that the parties have more control and can select the arbitrator. It is often less expensive than the court route and offers a quicker settlement.
This is a confidential, privileged and voluntary process where a suitably trained mediator, often a family lawyer, tries to help parties reach a settlement. It is another form of non-court dispute resolution. Successful mediations can be an effective way of resolving a dispute. We can recommend excellent mediators, and provide legal advice alongside the mediation process. A mediator facilitates a settlement, but does not impose one on parties, who retain control over whether they consent to a settlement or not. Any settlement reached is then made into a court order to ensure it is binding and enforceable.
There is an excellent book called “Almost Anything but the Family Courts” by Jo Sullivan which details the other ways of reaching a settlement outside court. This includes other options which we can explore with you such as lawyer led mediation, round tables, early neutral evaluation and the one lawyer one couple process, which is gaining in popularity. There are a lot of options and we can advise on which bespoke process would be suitable for your case.
Although the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 governs financial claims upon a divorce, we still regularly advise clients who are not married on financial claims they may have themselves or on behalf of their children.
Parties who are not married may still have financial claims on behalf of their children and we regularly advise clients on the extent of their financial obligations, or their claims for child maintenance, under the Child Support Act 1991 and Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 or their obligations or claims for capital on behalf of children under Schedule 1.
If your relationship has come to an end and you have children, we can advise you on your likely financial obligations towards those children or any claims you may have as the parent with day to day responsibility for those children.
English law recognises the concept that the actual value in a property may be held for the benefit of someone who does not hold the legal title to the property. The Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 also recognises the possibility of a party who has made a financial contribution to a property having acquired an equitable interest in the property. This Act provides the Court with the power to make a declaration of the extent of the parties’ interests in a property whether it is held in their joint names or just the name of one of them.
We regularly advise clients on how to limit claims from another party under the 1996 Act and also advise clients on the possibility of bringing a claim under the 1996 Act. Since the losing party can be responsible for the other party’s legal costs arising from any claim under the 1996 Act, it is important to obtain advice from us as soon as possible if you believe you may have a claim or if you wish to avoid the possibility of a claim by another party.
Sometimes assets, and the family home in particular, can belong to wider family members as well as parties who are married or live together. This often arises where the parents of one party make a financial contribution towards the purchase of a family home even though they do not live in it themselves. In the event of the breakdown of the parties’ marriage, the court is under an obligation to identify the extent to which any wider family member may have an interest in that property or asset. The formal mechanism is for the family member to be allowed to intervene in any financial proceedings to establish the value of their interest in the asset. We regularly act for intervenors in financial proceedings upon divorce and are able to advise them upon the prospect of success of their claim as an intervenor as a preliminary issue within any financial proceedings.
about
G & G Law was founded by Neil Graham and Natasha Grande in September 2025. We are specialist family lawyers, with a commitment to giving our clients the best possible service. We act for clients from all different walks of life, all over the world, to give them bespoke legal solutions.
Neil qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and has worked in some of the leading family law firms in London since then. Hugely experienced in all areas of family law, he has particular expertise in cases with complex assets or an international dimension.
Recommended yearly in the Spears index for professionals working in family law. She is listed as one to watch in Chambers and the Legal 500. She is a regular contributor to legal journals, the media and podcasts on family law. She has expertise in cases with complex jurisdictional and financial aspects.