emeryjohnson
Why Choose emeryjohnson ?
For many people, the only time they may come into contact with a solicitor is when they are buying or selling their home.
But in the same way that you would not hire a plumber to rewire your house, for family legal matters, you need an expert family lawyer.
Family Law is a specialist and often complex field: the wording and timing of court documents can be crucial or you could lose all rights to certain financial benefits. Court orders can be based on agreements you have signed, and which have therefore become legal documents, or on decisions by the court, and they cannot normally be altered once they are changed.
A divorce may begin under distressing circumstances. Alternatively it could be amicably and mutually agreed. In both cases disputes often arise concerning finances and children and it is therefore essential that you are protected by sound, current legal advice.
Your emeryjohnson family solicitor has the skills, knowledge and experience to assess your unique situation and sympathetically provide up to the minute advice which will take into account your future needs.
She will help you resolve your situation in a constructive and sensitive way. She will not make decisions for you but will ensure you have a full understanding of all of the potential consequences before allowing you to make informed decisions yourself.
She may have been through what you are going through, certainly one of her colleagues is likely to have had first hand experience of your situation. So, in addition to formidable advocacy, you can rely on a sympathetic ear and support when you need it.
ABOUT emeryjohnson
emeryjohnson was, established by Lesley Emery and Helen Johnson in October 1995, has become a market leader in its specialist areas of family law, child care and crime. In 2007 Lesley Emery retired from the practice.
Partners Helen and Emma Mitchell saw that the best representation led to the best outcomes for clients and have established a superior niche practice which
has grown in size with each of the three core divisions now among the largest in Leicester.
Despite this growth we remain true to our core values of keeping our family and criminal divisions entirely separate to allow specialist staff to provide quality advice in a supportive environment.
Family Law
The Family Division provides a sympathetic environment for busy professionals experiencing family difficulties.
Among our staff, we have personal experience of most of the family issues which affect our clients which ensures that we can empathise with your personal crises as well as offer professional advocacy to deliver the best possible outcome for you.
We are proud to say that, whatever your problem, we take it personally.
Crime
emeryjohnson solicitors are well known for success in the criminal courts.
Kept entirely separate from the Family Division, the Criminal Department thrives on providing a continuous service to clients from representation at the Police Station, where we offer a 24-hour on call service, through the Youth, Magistrates and Crown Court.
Anyone can find themselves on the wrong end of a police or Customers or Revenue investigation and emeryjohnson solicitors are here to offer help and support.
We undertake a variety of cases from petty theft, through white collar crimes including fraud to murder and have recently been involved in high profile drug related cases.
We undertake both publicly funded and privately paid work, and have a 24 hour service for those needing urgent advice outside of office hours.
LEGAL AID AND PRIVATE FEES
Legal Aid
Not all solicitors undertake Legal Aid cases. At emeryjohnson we would like to be more inclusive and represent a wider spectrum of families than this exclusion would allow. However, due to changes pending to the way in which Legal Aid is granted, we may need to limit our Legal Aid case load.
There are two main categories of Legal Aid. Legal Help, covers initial advice and assistance and Public Funding Certificates, for further work and court proceedings. emeryjohnson is a preferred supplier for Legal Aid and in certain circumstances we can grant a Public Funding certificate straight away without you having to wait for the Legal Services Commission to assess you eligibility. This means that in the majority of cases we can progress your case swiftly.
It is a common misconception that Legal Aid is free. This is not necessarily true, particularly in matrimonial cases. The Legal Services Commission may recover the cost of assistance from your settlement or it can defer recovery by placing a charge on your home or other property.
Your emeryjohnson solicitor will be able to tell you if you are eligible for Legal Aid based on your income and expenditure. She can provide preliminary advice under Legal Help if your means justify it and will let you know whether she can take your case. If so, she will provide you with the necessary forms to apply for Legal Aid. She can then provide you with clear on going advice in relation to the aspects of the scheme that apply to you from the outset of your case.
If your spouse is legally aided and you are not, you are unlikely to recover your legal costs as would be usual should you win your case.
Private Funding
You may not qualify for legal aid or emeryjohnsons Solicitors may not be able to take your case on a Legal Aid basis. Instead we will advise you of the private rates which apply. Generally, the more senior and experienced your solicitor, the higher the hourly rate for their services.
At the outset, we will provide you with an estimated cost for your case and discuss with you financial arrangements for covering this cost.
NO OBLIGATION FIXED FEE CONSULTATION
Whatever the reason you are looking for a family lawyer, we understand that there are times when the legal process can feel intrusive and potentially upsetting. A no obligation consultation is the best way to get some initial advice and to find out whether you feel that emeryjohnson is the team you want to support you.
Unless you are eligible for Legal Aid, we charge a fixed fee of just £75 for an initial consultation with a Solicitor, £85 for an Associate and £100 for an initial consultation with a Partner, which will last one hour. After this, you may decide to instruct an emeryjohnson Solicitor, Associate or Partner or you may decide another firm might suit you better. The decision is entirely yours and we will not contact you further unless you ask us to do so.
When you have read the next steps section below, click here to book your no obligation consultation (link to pro-forma email heading No Obligation Consultation)
Next Steps
1 - Before booking your initial consultation, think about the advice you need and the outcome you want to achieve.
2 - Your consultation can be an emotional time so you might find it helpful to make a note of the questions you want to ask so that you don't forget anything and to make the best use of your time with your emeryjohnson family solicitor. You may also want to bring someone along with you for emotional support and to remind you of anything you may have forgottent to ask.
It will help if you bring with you any documents or information you think might be useful including
- Two forms of ID, in the form of a utility bill for proof of your address and your photo driving licence or your passport. If you do not have either some other form of ID with your photograph on it.
- Your last wage slip or proof of benefits. If you are self-employed you will need to let us have sight of your most recent accounts or tax return.
If you have children, it would be better if you could arrange for them to be looked after while you talk to us so that you can concentrate on finding out what you need to know.
If your problem is urgent e.g. domestic abuse, child abuse, child abduction or disposal of assets, explain this when you make your initial appointment.
At your first meeting we will need you to tell us:
- The nature of your problem
- The names and addresses dates of birth of people involved including any children
- If you are married and seeking a divorce the place of marriage date and the reason for separation
- If you have been subjected to domestic abuse, details of the history of the matter and any incidents
- If your matter involves finances, details of your income, assets and liabilities
- advice on the various ways of resolving your problem
- information about fees and the availability of legal aid
- rough timescale based on your individual circumstances
- your Emery Johnson solicitor’s approach to your case
it might be difficult to remember all that is said so do make notes during the meeting.
3 - If you decide to instruct your emeryjohnson solicitor to act for you, she will give you the advice you need to make decisions so you can instruct her in the light of that advice. She will not make decisions for you or pressure you into making decisions which are not right for you.
She will write letters and deal with court proceedings on your behalf and on your instructions. You should agree whether you want letters to be sent to you at your home address or somewhere else. You should agree your preferred way of keeping in touch - through telephone calls, email or further meetings to suit your personal situation and budget.
You should tell your emeryjohnson solicitor everything that is relevant to the problem. The advice she gives is based on the information he or she has at the time.
Click here to book your no obligation consultation