Welcome to our Legal Pages.

OnlyDads are very aware that there is an awful lot of information on the web relating to family law. Not all of it is accurate or helpful. What we are doing in this section of the website is to provide you with information that is prepared by Resolution-member solicitors, and to direct you towards solicitors in your area who can help with whatever issue you face.

At OnlyDads we often encounter men who automatically assume that they will "lose out" at Court. 'Why?' is our question. Unlike other Dads groups, we encourage all men going through family break-up to get legal advice even just to find out where they stand. Your life and your children's future are at stake and as a responsible father you owe it to your family to achieve the best possible outcome.

Divorce and separation is a difficult business at every level. When children are involved it gets more complicated and even more necessary to get things sorted out so that the best interests of the child/children are put first.

Many separating couples need help through this process, so we have added Factsheets on various aspects of Family Law which will help you gain a little more knowledge as you go through the process. Being an "informed client" can help you issue the right instructions to your solicitor and ensure you keep an understanding of what is going on during what can be a stressful process.

Most importantly we offer a Directory of Trusted Family Solicitors, where you can search for a Family Solicitor in your area who can best represent you and your family.

Where possible, we encourage dads to seek out a Solicitor who is a member of Resolution. Their website is full of really useful information and well worth a visit.

We ask all solicitors included in our Directory to say whether they practice Collaborative Law and can access Mediation. These areas of law are defined below.

Collaborative family law is a new, non-confrontational approach to resolving issues arising out of family or relationship breakdown. The collaborative process is based on open and honest discussions during which each client is supported by his/her own trained collaborative lawyer. The clients and their lawyers work together in a series of meetings without the threat of court proceedings, to find a fair and mutually acceptable solution.

Family mediation can be used to sort out a variety of family disputes.  Its most common use is to help separating or divorcing couples make their own arrangements for the future.  Mediation provides an informal setting for those involved to talk through their problems and concerns, and gives them control over decision making.  Mediation can offer a wider range of options than is available through the courts.

The mediator will help the parties to explore all possible options and find solutions that both parties agree on.

Mediation is a process that can work for you at any stage of a separation even when court proceedings have started.