Check the licence first — the official way
- Solicitors: the SRA register Every practising solicitor in England & Wales is on the Law Society's "Find a Solicitor" register, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Search any name or firm — it shows practising status, office addresses and regulatory history. Firms advertise family-law accreditation ("Law Society Children Law / Family Law panels") — a genuine quality marker.
- Legal executives: CILEX Chartered legal executives are regulated by CILEX and can conduct family work up to court advocacy. Their register works the same way.
- Legal aid: the checker If affordability is the issue, run the official legal aid checker first — it lists legal-aid family firms near you and the evidence gateways (domestic abuse, mainly) that unlock representation. More on gateways.
- Then compare fees, honestly Ask each firm: hourly rate, estimated total for your specific next hearing, and whether they offer fixed fees for discrete stages. Our fee tables give the court-fee baseline to compare against.
The market reality: full solicitor representation in a contested children case commonly runs to thousands of pounds per hearing, which is why most fathers now self-serve the paperwork (guides on this site) and reserve paid help for the fights that matter — or use a direct-access barrister for the hearing itself. This site accepts no paid solicitor listings; the registers above are the only honest source.
The five questions to ask any family firm
- "Who exactly does the work?" Partner, associate or paralegal — and at what rate each. The named partner you meet should not vanish into a junior's timesheets.
- "What's your plan for my next hearing?" Concrete: position statement, proposals, which advocate attends. Vague plans at first meeting rarely improve by the hearing.
- "Fixed fee or estimate?" Get the next stage fixed where possible; hourly with a written cap otherwise. Ask what triggers going over.
- "What do you need FROM me?" Good firms say: your chronology, exhibits, a tidy file — exactly what our evidence guide tells you to build. Arriving organised cuts their hours.
- "What would YOU do if it were your case?" The answer you want is strategy (proposals, evidence, settlement posture), not "fight everything". Realism is a good sign; war is a bill.
Questions people ask at Aberystwyth Justice Centre — self-representation guide
Can a solicitor do just one hearing?
Yes — many firms offer "unbundled" or discrete-scope help under SRA rules: one hearing, one document, one advice session. Ask for a "specific issue retainer" and the fixed price in writing.
Is a mediator better than a solicitor?
Different jobs: mediators help you both agree (a MIAM is often compulsory first); solicitors advise and advocate for one side. Many cases use both — mediator for terms, solicitor for the consent order.
How do I complain about a firm?
Via the firm's complaints process first, then the Legal Ombudsman; conduct issues go to the SRA. The registers above are also where regulatory standing is checked before you instruct.
Before your hearing
Turning scattered messages, notes and dates into evidence takes structure. arrive with the organised file that cuts any firm's hours — EvidenceCanvas is a guided toolkit that helps you draft a child-focused witness statement, answer a Scott Schedule point by point, and assemble a paginated court bundle. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.