How to Keep Your Legal Costs Down During Family Law Matters

Going through a separation, divorce or sorting out child arrangements is difficult enough without worrying about mounting legal bills. We understand that cost is often a real concern for clients at what’s already a stressful time. The good news is that there are several practical steps you can take to help manage your legal costs while still getting the quality advice and support you need.

We’ve put together seven straightforward ways to help keep your costs under control.

1. Provide financial documents promptly and in full

When we’re advising you on property division, pensions, and maintenance, we need a complete picture of your financial situation. It’s one of the most important parts of our work together. Delays or drip-feeding documents creates extra work, as we end up chasing missing information, and sometimes we have to go over the same ground twice.

The solution is simple: gather everything together from the start. Bank statements, mortgage details, pension valuations, payslips, tax returns – get them all in one place and send them to us in one go where you can. It might feel like a lot of effort upfront, but it saves us time and saves you money in the long run.

Think of it as laying the groundwork. The more complete your financial picture is from day one, the more efficiently we can work on your behalf.

2. Organise and label your files clearly

We see a lot of files named things like “scan001” or “IMG_4567”. Vague file names slow everything down, especially when we’re dealing with complex financial disclosure.

Take an extra minute to rename your files with clear, descriptive labels:

It seems like a small thing, but it makes a real difference. We can find what we need instantly, which means we spend less time sorting through files and more time working on your case. Less time equals lower costs for you.

3. Keep bank statements in chronological order

Financial disclosure often involves reviewing months or even years of bank statements. When they arrive jumbled up or out of sequence, we have to stop and reorganise them before we can properly analyse your finances. That’s time you’re paying for that could be spent on more valuable work.

When you’re gathering statements, download them as PDFs in date order rather than taking photos of paper statements. Most banks let you download statements directly from online banking. It’s quicker for you and gives us clearer, more organised documents to work with.

4. Be honest and transparent from the start

This one might seem obvious, but it’s crucial. Holding back information – even details that seem minor or embarrassing – almost always causes problems later. When new information comes to light halfway through proceedings, it can mean going back to square one on certain issues. That costs time and money.

Tell us about that forgotten savings account, the cash gift from your parents, or the credit card debt you’ve been avoiding. The earlier we know about it, the better we can plan and the smoother the process will be.

5. Review documents carefully before returning them

When forms and documents come back with missing signatures, incomplete sections, or errors, it creates delays. We have to send them back to you, wait for you to correct them, and sometimes that holds up court deadlines or slows down the overall process.

Before you return any document to us, take five minutes to check:

It’s a small investment of time that prevents frustrating delays and keeps your case moving forward.

6. Keep your communication focused

We completely understand that divorce and separation bring up strong emotions. It’s natural to want to share how you’re feeling or talk through your concerns. But lengthy emails covering multiple topics – especially non-legal issues – can quickly add up in terms of cost.

Instead, keep a running note on your phone or in a notebook of questions as they come up. Then, send them to us in one focused email or save them for your next scheduled call or meeting where we can work through them together.

If something urgent comes up that genuinely can’t wait, of course get in touch straight away. But for general queries and updates, batching them together is far more cost-effective.

7. Focus your energy on what really matters financially

It’s easy to get caught up in disputes over every single item or issue, but the reality is that not everything is worth fighting over. Prolonged arguments about low-value items or minor points can significantly increase your legal costs without meaningfully improving your financial outcome.

Put your energy into the big-ticket items: the family home, pensions, spousal maintenance, child maintenance, and your long-term financial security. These are the matters that will genuinely impact your future.

We’ll always fight your corner on the issues that matter most. But by being selective about which battles to fight, you’ll save money and probably reduce stress too.

Why this matters

Legal fees are just one part of your overall financial situation during divorce or separation. By staying organised, communicating efficiently, and focusing on what truly matters, you can significantly reduce unnecessary costs.

We’re committed to delivering excellent legal advice while being mindful of your budget. These steps help us work together more effectively, which means better outcomes for you at a lower cost.

If you’d like to discuss your family law matter with us, get in touch with our team. We’re here to help you move forward with confidence.