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Family, Children & Divorce

“Best known for its work in children’s law with a particular specialism in private law parental disputes, relocation cases as well as complex care proceedings. It is also renowned for its international adoption work and its alternate family surrogacy work. The matrimonial department … is going from strength to strength with a growing client base of HNW clients”. Department Head, Nina Hansen is a ‘‘tactical genius”. (The Legal 500, 2021 Edition)

With family being the central focus for most people, it is natural that any sort of change in circumstances will lead to difficult times, especially if those changes involve particularly challenging situations.

We understand how important it is for people facing challenges within their family situations to receive the highest quality advice. It is also essential to be personally supported by experts who are in a position to offer the utmost skill and depth of knowledge across all the issues that are likely to arise.

Our family law team are highly respected for the work they do across all areas of family practice. They are widely regarded as experts with a known ability to handle exceptionally complex and sensitive cases with care and empathy.

With the team having had cases heard at every level of court including in the Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union, we are used to dealing with high profile and difficult matters. We are recognised in the industry as leaders in international family law, cross-border child law matters and complex financial remedy cases as can be seen from our rankings in the directories Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.

Personal Attention, Exceptional Knowledge, Effective Service

We believe that when you are facing difficult family issues, personal attention is just as essential as the quality of service and depth of knowledge. At Freemans Solicitors we are committed to providing you with an efficient service tailored to meet your family’s specific needs. We can assure you that your individual case will be managed hands-on by your own dedicated qualified specialist family lawyer, which means that you will have access to the highest calibre advice throughout your matter.

Our family law team are members of Resolution which means you will find them committed to working in a constructive and effective way. They will put your family first and always look for long-term, cost-effective solutions that maintain your best interests at every step. Many of our solicitors are Resolution Accredited Specialists in particular areas of practice meaning that they have outstanding levels of expertise and knowledge in those areas

Our Family Law Services

When you are facing family, children or relationship challenges, access to top-level expertise is vital. Issues regularly cross over, so it is essential that the advice you receive considers every aspect of the situation you are in and how it will impact upon your future.

Our renowned family lawyers are able to advise on the following areas of family practice:

Adoption And Surrogacy Law Specialists

Adoption cases can be complex particularly when either adopting from abroad or registering a foreign adoption. We have solicitors that are Resolution accredited specialists in adoption law and our team is able to assist you through the vagaries of the system.

We are also well known for assisting in surrogacy cases involving parental rights and responsibilities. These cases are not necessarily straightforward and there are numerous criteria and conditions that must be met in order to obtain a parental order from the court. At Freemans Solicitors, our child law solicitors are particularly skilled in this area of law and regularly guide parents through the process. In 2017 we were awarded “Adoption Law Firm of the Year” by the Lawyer Monthly Magazine.

Child Abduction And Relocation

In the event that your child is taken out of the country without your consent, or is not returned when you expect, you need specialist advice quickly and efficiently. Similarly, if you are accused of child abduction, you need to know that you are being advised by experts in this specialist field. We have that expertise and have been involved in some of the most difficult cases that have shaped and progressed English Family Law. We have also regularly been asked to represent the child “in the middle”. We are members of the International Child Abduction And Contact Unit’s Panel of specialist solicitors and are Resolution Accredited in the field.

We are also known for our work in those difficult cases when a parent wants to move abroad leaving the other parent behind and have represented parents on both sides providing effective support and professional and effective representation. We have handled cases at every level of court and, in representing children, have a known reputation for ensuring their voices are clear and independently heard.

Child Arrangements

We can assist with whatever is required to help you find a child-focused solution. We regularly assist parents to negotiate a settlement and offer an all areas mediation service. We are also able to help where there are allegations of abuse, mental health issues or other complex matters including allegations of parental alienation.

Children Issues And Social Services

We represent parents, children, and grandparents as well as other family members in all cases involving Social Services. We are able to offer expertise at a highly specialist level in cases concerning adoption, factual and/or legal issues, including allegations of sexual abuse, domestic violence, drug and alcohol difficulties, radicalisation, factitious illnesses, and non-accidental injury or death. We act for parents worldwide and solicitors in our team are members of the Law Society Children Panel. Our firm and our solicitors are ranked amongst the best in London by Chambers and Partners UK and the Legal 500

Cohabitation and Living Together

Unmarried couples do not share the same rights as spouses or civil partners making it essential that things like property ownership and what should happen in the event of a relationship breakdown are legally formalised Our team of experts can advise you whether you are about to move in with a partner, or following the breakdown of your relationship.

Divorce/Dissolution, Separation And Finance

Relationship breakdown is one of the most unsettling things that can happen in life. At Freemans Solicitors, the aim of our specialist divorce and dissolution solicitors is to help you find certainty and ensure you receive the highest level of advice to enable you to make the right decisions for your future. Our expert team are able to provide clear and comprehensive advice when it comes to the family finances whether it be a case of modest assets or one involving complex financial issues of a high net worth

Mediation, Collaborative Law and Arbitration

Without a doubt, the best way to resolve any relationship issue is outside court. If appropriate, our specialist team will explore the various dispute resolution options available with you including mediation, collaborative law, or arbitration.

Pre And Post Nuptial Agreements

For those who hold or expect to inherit significant assets or where there are other complexities such as children from previous relationships or business ownership, a pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement will formally set out how such assets would be divided between you and your spouse or civil partner should your marriage or civil partnership end. It is imperative to seek specialist advice from the outset and in good time if you are considering such agreements.

The Highest Calibre Legal Advice


Because every family is different, our family lawyers are committed to tailoring what they do and how they do it to fit precisely with your needs. We live in a culturally diverse society and as a multicultural firm we offer an understanding and a host of different languages.

Our experts have the tenacity and dedication to take your case as far as it can go in order to achieve the outcome that is right for you and your family. To discuss your situation in total confidence with an expert who truly understands the challenges you are facing, please get in touch in the way that suits you best.

We also have a contract with the Legal Aid Agency and can assess your eligibility for legal aid.


What they say about us


Freemans very much know this area of the law. They have a confident and firm approach but are very personable and great to work with. (2023 Chambers & Partners Guide UK)
Freemans Solicitors ‘is one of the few firms which practises both private and public law at a high level. It uses the breadth of knowledge of its partners and associates to ensure that its clients receive expert advice on all aspects of child law, particularly in cases with complex allegations’. The team is led by the highly regarded Nina Hansen who is an established name for international children cases and has considerable ‘experience in the UKSC and the Court of Justice of the European Union which ‘exemplifies her ability to handle the most testing and complex work’. The ‘client focused’ Hilka Hollmann is another key figure. Laura Coyle has a solid international practice covering Hague Convention matters, wardship and child arrangements (such as relocation). Georgina Stavrou was recently promoted to the partnership. (2023 Edition of The Legal 500 – Family, Tier 2)
The help and advice I received from everyone at Freeman’s was excellent. They were very supportive and informative. I was in very safe hands.
They were very efficient, supportive and responsive at every point in time. (2023 Chambers & Partners Guide UK)
Freemans are legally very strong on the law, think creatively and are on the ball with spotting issues. (2023 Chambers & Partners Guide UK)
Freemans Solicitors fields a team of ‘high-quality practitioners with a raft of experience on which to draw’, and which has ‘now firmly established itself among the big hitters on international children cases.

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