News
DIVORCE LAWYERS DETECT NEW TREND AS MORE COUPLES CALL TIME ON MARRIAGES BEFORE NEW YEAR
RECORD numbers of feuding couples are consulting divorce lawyers in the immediate aftermath of Christmas – rather than waiting for the New Year.
Traditionally, the first couple of weeks of January are the busiest time for Britain’s family lawyers.
However, the country’s only full service online law firm Law Options.co.uk says it received more than 200 calls and 680 visits to its website from couples wanting to find out about splitting from their partner between Christmas Eve and December 29.
Law Options’ Head of Family Law, Hazel Roberts, took 24 calls alone on Christmas Day from people wanting to initiate the process of divorcing.
Hazel Roberts said: “Living in a 24 hour society has given rise to an “I want it now” attitude. Although this gives greater freedom, it can mean that some people act rashly in the heat of the moment. I would counsel any couple considering divorce to wait until the holiday period is over when things return to normality.
“If differences are still irreconcilable then that is the time to think of options to change the situation.
“It is a worrying new trend that so many couples have hit the panic button before the turkey leftovers have even been eaten. I have personally never been so busy between Christmas and New Year taking calls from couples who have reached the end of their tether.”
Roberts added: “Without the distraction of work, the focus on one’s personal life is huge and there is a false expectation that all should be picture perfect, which is rarely the case but leads people to think their relationship is not working.”
Other reasons for calling time on a relationship include the impending start of a new year. Traditionally, many law firms can handle around a third of all a year’s divorces in January alone.
A survey of 3,000 couples across the UK revealed that over half (52 per cent) say the legal process of divorce scares them with one third of married couples being put off splitting from their partner due to a lack of knowledge of divorce proceedings.
Lawoptions.co.uk was launched in October by established UK law firm Canter Levin & Berg offering a 24/7 service with fixed price products giving consumers convenience and clarity on costs from the outset.
Brits blast lawyers for costly complicated service
Despite one in five Brits currently requiring legal advice over half the population refuse to seek professional help, says a new survey of 3,000 people by LawOptions.co.uk.
A third of the population stated that they did not understand their legal rights and two thirds said that they were put off working with a lawyer due to fears of cost.
One third stated that they would not know how to select a lawyer to help them with their problem and one in five think that legal proceedings are too complex, the same number worry that they would not understand legal terminology. A further one in ten feel that they do not have time to process a legal problem whilst juggling the pressures of work and running a household.
The research commissioned by Law Options gave shocking results on numbers of consumers dealing with legal issues without professional help and comes as the annual Bar Conference was held on Saturday to discuss access to justice and the impact of reforms to the £2 billion legal aid budget.
Partner, Hazel Roberts says, “It is a worry that consumers are reluctant to seek professional help on important issues due to fears such as cost and complexity. Changes to the system of awarding Legal Aid has meant that there are now many people who are vulnerable or on low incomes who are falling through the net and not getting much needed professional advice and protection.”
Changes to Legal Aid in February 2009 saw the Ministry of Justice control expenditure on private family law disputes such as child contact and custody disputes and reduce expenditure on cases in which divorcing couples have disputes over property. The danger of reduced Legal Aid to assist consumers process legal issues was raised recently by Lord Chief Justice stating that lack of financial support is excluding numbers of people from civil courts. The comment from the head of the judiciary in England and Wales stated that “I do believe that we have to provide a place in which citizens can go to court and seek remedy for a wrong that has been done to them, and they shouldn’t be priced out, as it looks as though some are being” comes as new research reveals a reluctance to use professional legal help.
Yesterday Desmond Browne QC, this year’s chairman of the Bar Council of England and Wales also stated that “We are now heading for two standards of justice, dependent on the ability to pay” and agreed that the proposed cuts to legal aid will hit the most vulnerable in society.
Of the 3,000 interviewed, over half (52%) stated that the legal process of divorce scared them with one third of married couples being put off from splitting wit their partner due to their lack of knowledge regarding divorce proceedings.
Lawoptions.co.uk, the new online legal service backed by Canter, Levin and Berg, one of the oldest law firms in the UK aims to challenge the way that consumers access legal advice. The firm, which launched at the start of October offers a 24/7 service with fixed price products to give consumers convenience and clarity on costs from the outset. Consumers have direct communication with qualified case handlers via email and phone contact. Consumers can even track progress on their case via Sky TV and Virgin Media.
Consumer barriers to selecting professional legal advice:
- Too expensive (63%)
- Don’t know how to select the right lawyer (36%)
- Legal proceedings are too complex (22%)
- Fear of understanding legal terminology (22%)
- Can’t fit meetings in around work and household commitments (13%)
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Notes to editors
LawOptions.co.uk is the first law firm to offer consumers a complete solution for all legal needs on Family, Employment, Road Traffic Accidents, Conveyancing, Personal Injury, Wills and Probate, General Disputes and Speeding Offences, 24-hours a day.
The company is backed by Canter Levin and Berg, one of the oldest law firms in the North West of England. Canter Levin and Berg has been providing legal services since 1947 and is Lexcel accredited, approved by the Law Society and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority [SRA Number 44668].
A survey of 3,000 people was carried out by OnePoll.com.
www.lawoptions.co.uk
Hotline: 08000 11 3333
LAWYERS RACE TO THE CHALLENGE
Three law experts raised over £5,000 for charity after completing the Dublin Marathon last week.
The trio from LawOptions.co.uk took part in the long distance race to raise cash for African Revival.
Ian Fitzpatrick, partner at the Liverpool law firm, said it was a great achievement to raise the money for a worthwhile cause.
“It was a gruelling race at times but definitely worth the challenge. African Revival provides much needed work in Sub-Africa where some areas have only a 12 per cent literacy rate,” he said.
“We’re really grateful for all the support we’ve had from the team at LawOptions.co.uk and the general public. With everyone’s efforts we’ve raised an impressive £5,262.”
African Revival supports a series of development projects in seven countries throughout East and Southern Africa including school projects, improving sanitation and beekeeping.
The team from LawOptions.co.uk, Ian Fitzpatrick, Marketing Director Matthew Roberts and Head of Employment Will Burrows, have reached their target to build a classroom block in Zambia.
“People take it for granted in the UK that everyone has access to education. It’s only when you see the scale of poverty in a country like Zambia that you realise how fortunate we are,” Mr Fitzpatrick added.
Mr Fitzpatrick cycled 500 kilometres across Zambia last year and raised £3,000 for the charity.
“It’s a great to be able to support projects that help transform people’s lives in such a dramatic way.”
The funds donated have placed the team as the top fundrasiers for African Revival.
They will continue to raise charity donations next year through a series of demanding physical challenges.
Mr Fitzpatrick added that people can donate to the cause online at www.justgiving.com/cantersafrica
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For more information, please contact Jane Batchelor at Mason Media on
0151 239 5057.
About LawOptions.co.uk
LawOptions.co.uk is the first 24/7 all consumer legal need legal firm which offers fixed cost legal products and case tracking online or via Sky TV or Virgin Media. The firm aims to make legal services as accessible as possible to consumers via 24 hour contact and direct communication with case handlers by phone and email.
Law Options
First to market with online legal solution, for all consumer needs, at all hours
LawOptions.co.uk, a new consumer-facing legal brand launches 5th October to be the first to market to offer experienced help on any consumer legal need, 24 hours a day.
The new brand, part of Canter, Levin and Berg, one of the oldest law firms in the North West, is the first to make a complete consumer offer of legal products accessible to consumers via the web. The brand seeks to modernise the way that consumers access legal advice and establish a clear positioning in the consumer market place ahead of increased competition following the Legal Services Act.
LawOptions.co.uk will offer consumers free initial advice from a trained legal team 24/7 and a catalogue of fixed cost products at competitive pricing. The service will cover all consumer legal needs with qualified Solicitor handling Family, Employment, Road Traffic Accidents, Conveyancing, Personal Injury, Wills and Probate, General Disputes and Speeding Offences.
The brand launch will be supported by mass advertising and consumer public relations campaigns to position the online business as a modern, clear, convenient and cost effective means of processing legal needs.
Following initial free legal advice by telephone at any time, clients will communicate directly with their qualified case handler via telephone and email during the extended hours of 8am to 8pm six days a week. Customers will also be able to track their case online, via Sky TV or Virgin Media using a password protected area to review progress on their case. The brand launches with a number of fixed price products to encourage transparency on charges from the outset.
Partner, Ian Fitzpatrick says, “Lawoptions.co.uk has been created in response to changing consumer demands for greater flexibility in accessing expert legal advice and a desire to process cases online. Through offering a modern customer focused service to the market place with a clear price structure we expect to increase awareness of our brand nationally.”
For further information:
Christine Morgan/ Jane Batchelor
Mason Media
Christine@masonmedia.co.uk / jane@masonmedia.co.uk
Tel: 0151 239 5061/5057
Notes to Editors
About Law Options
Law Options is the first online legal firm to offer customers 24 hour a day service, for all legal needs with a selection of fixed price products. LawOptions.co.uk is a trading name of Canter,Levin and Berg Solicitors, one of the oldest law firms in the North West of England. The firm is Lexcel accredited, approved by the Law Society and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority [SRA Number 44668].
www.lawoptions.co.uk
Hotline: 08000 11 333333
.