Same Sex Divorce or Civil Partnership Dissolution
Specialist legal support for LGBTQ+ couples ending a marriage or civil partnership in England & Wales.
Ending a relationship is never easy. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer clients, there can be extra layers of legal complexity alongside the emotional challenges every separating couple faces. As experienced LGBTQ+ family law solicitors in London, we can help you navigate the divorce process while protecting your best interests.
Inclusive expertise
We have advised LGBTQ+ clients since equal marriage became law in 2014 and acted in some of the first same‑sex divorces issued in England.
Free initial consultation
We can begin with a no‑obligation conversation where you outline your situation and receive preliminary guidance on your legal options, completely free of charge. The next step is a more detailed 1-hour fixed fee, family law consultation where we can discuss your siutation in more detail. The consultation will be followed up with written advice which clearly explains your options.
Proactive communication
You’ll have direct access to your LGBTQ family law solicitor and clear updates at every milestone. We respond within one business day, so you always know exactly where your case stands.
Child‑focused solutions
LGBT parenting can be complex. Whether children are biological, adopted or conceived through surrogacy, we prioritise their welfare and your ongoing co‑parenting relationship. Our non‑adversarial approach helps shield children from conflict and supports healthy, long‑term parental collaboration.
London & international reach
Our solicitors are based in North London but we advise clients across the capital and abroad using secure video conferencing. We frequently coordinate with overseas lawyers and courts, ensuring your orders are recognised and enforceable wherever life takes you. We have specialist international family law solicitors to advise when family matters cross borders.
How We Can Help
Whether you require a same sex divorce or a civil partnership dissolution, our London based solicitors can help.
Initial advice & strategic planning
We can review your marriage or civil‑partnership certificate, confirm the correct jurisdiction (vital for couples with links overseas), and identify any urgent protective measures. You leave with a clear idea of estimated costs and what happens next.
Issuing the divorce or dissolution application
Whether you require a divorce or Civil Partnership Dissolution our solicitors will draft and file your application through the HMCTS portal, arrange safe service on your spouse wherever they live and monitor every deadline so the process keeps moving.
Financial disclosure & negotiation
Using detailed Form E disclosure, we value pensions, businesses, property and crypto assets. Our solicitors model settlement options, then negotiate a fair agreement (or represent you in mediation or arbitration) before drafting a Consent Order.
Child Arrangements & Parental Responsibility
We can help you develop a practical Parenting Plan, secure Parental Responsibility for non‑biological parents and, where required, apply for Child Arrangements Orders that put the child’s welfare first.
Conditional & Final Orders
Once terms are settled, we apply for the Conditional Order (first decree) and, six weeks later, the Final Order that legally ends your marriage or dissolves your civil partnership. We lodge the sealed Consent Order at the same time, so your financial settlement is binding and enforceable.
After‑care & Future Planning
Post‑divorce, we can update your will, revise life‑insurance beneficiaries, sever a joint tenancy or vary maintenance if your circumstances change. You may even benefit from the services of our divorce coach.
Same Sex Divorce & Civil Partnership Dissolution
Frequently Asked Questions
The legal framework is identical, but a solicitor who regularly represents LGBTQ+ clients will already understand issues such as donor-conceived children, cross-border recognition of parental responsibility and jurisdictions that do not recognise equal marriage. That practical experience can shorten the process and reduce stress.
Settlements are based on need, sharing and fairness. Typical elements include pension‑sharing orders to balance retirement provision, transfer or sale of the family home with a deferred charge where children remain, lump‑sum payments or maintenance to address income disparities, and, where both parties are financially independent, a clean‑break order that prevents future claims. We model the tax and long‑term impact of every proposal so you can make informed decisions.
The child’s welfare is paramount. Most parents reach an agreement through a Parenting Plan that sets out where the child will live, time with the other parent, schooling, medical care and holidays. If mediation fails, either parent can apply for a Child Arrangements Order. Judges consider the child’s wishes and feelings, continuity of care and each parent’s ability to meet the child’s needs.
A court can treat any child you helped raise as “a child of the family”. This means it can order you to pay child maintenance and can grant you contact even if you are not biologically related. Your position is strongest if you already have PR, or an adoption order, but the court can still make the orders needed to preserve an important relationship. Acting early helps demonstrate the role you play in the child’s life.
Legal Aid is now limited to situations involving recent domestic abuse or a risk of child abduction. Evidence might include a police caution, a Non‑Molestation Order or a letter from a doctor or specialist support service. If you may qualify, we will conduct a means assessment and help you apply. If not, we can discuss payment plans, staged fixed‑fee packages or litigation loans to spread the cost.
Since the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 came into force, same‑sex spouses follow the same divorce process and enjoy the same rights to property division, maintenance and child arrangements as opposite‑sex couples. The court’s guiding principle is fairness. We also check for historic pension rules that still disadvantage some LGBTQ+ claimants and make sure you receive the full benefits to which you are entitled.
You still use the online no‑fault system, but the application is called a dissolution. The relationship ends with a Final Order rather than a Decree Absolute, and you rely on your civil‑partnership registration certificate instead of a marriage certificate. If you later converted your partnership into a marriage, we will explain how that affects pensions, inheritance and tax.
Since 6 April 2022, there is a single ground for everyone: that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. You simply file a statement to that effect, and the court will not investigate blame or conduct.
You can complete the online process yourself, but many people struggle with the technical aspects such as valuing pensions, drafting a consent order the court will accept, securing parental responsibility for a non‑biological parent and ensuring an English order can be enforced abroad. Mistakes are difficult and expensive to fix later. A solicitor protects against these pitfalls and provides a settlement that cannot be reopened.
We begin by confirming whether the English courts have jurisdiction and, if more than one country could hear the case, move quickly because the first to issue often secures the forum. We coordinate with overseas lawyers on recognition, enforcement and tax, and, where necessary, obtain “mirror” orders, so your financial and child arrangements are valid on both sides of the border.
Yes. Parental responsibility (PR) is automatic if both parents are named on the birth or adoption certificate. It can also be granted later by agreement or court order. Where only one parent currently has PR, we prepare the necessary documents or make the application so that both parents can make decisions about medical treatment, schooling and travel.
Not at birth under English law. The surrogate is the legal mother at birth. The intended parents must apply for a parental order after the birth to transfer legal parenthood.
It depends on where and how conception took place and on the paperwork. A known donor can be treated as a legal parent in some situations. We assess the facts and advise on agreements or court orders to protect everyone’s role.
Not always. Adoption creates legal parenthood. If you are already a legal parent, PR alone may be enough. If you are not a legal parent, adoption or a parental order may be required, depending on your route to parenthood.
No. You still need a parental order in England and Wales to secure legal parenthood here.
There may be options, including a declaration of parentage, adoption or other orders. Early advice is important.
Timescales vary by court and the facts. We will give a realistic timeline at your consultation and take steps to avoid delays.
Yes. We offer a fixed‑fee consultation to review your position and set out next steps. Further work is priced transparently.
Yes. We negotiate where possible and bring applications for child arrangements, PR or specific issues where agreement cannot be reached.
Yes. We advise sensitively on documentation, birth registration, school and medical records and any court applications.
Yes, if conception is through a licensed UK clinic and the correct forms are signed before treatment, the non‑birth mother is a legal parent and can be named. If treatment was outside a clinic, legal advice is needed to regularise status.
For an uncontested, straightforward divorce, including drafting and filing all forms, liaising with the court and preparing a basic financial consent order, solicitor fees generally range between £1,500 and £3,000 + VAT, plus the court fee of £612. Cases involving overseas assets, business valuations, complex pensions or contested child arrangements will be higher, but you will always receive a bespoke written quote and transparent monthly statements, so you know what to expect.
