Do I need a family lawyer, family solicitor or legal executive?
What is a family lawyer? Is it different to a family solicitor? Do they do the same thing? What do these terms mean?
When searching for a person or law firm to represent you in relation to your family law issues, you may have discovered listings for family lawyers, family solicitors, chartered legal executives and more. This can of course be very confusing! How do you know who to pick and what do these terms mean?
Family lawyer
In the UK, ‘family lawyer’ is more of an umbrella term used to describe legal representatives who are licensed and qualified to give legal advice in relation to family law matters or act on behalf of a child in legal matters.
A family lawyer therefore has the potential to be either a solicitor, chartered legal executive or a barrister. Solicitors give legal advice throughout the entire family law case on behalf of a client, whilst barristers are typically more involved in carrying out advocacy work in court.
Chartered Legal Executive
A family lawyer might also be described as a chartered legal executive. These are qualified lawyers who undertake similar work to a solicitor. A chartered legal executive will most likely have studied one area of law to an advanced level. They can be referred to as a family lawyer but not as a family solicitor.
Family Solicitor
The term solicitor is a protected title in the UK. For a legal professional to call themselves a solicitor, they must be fully qualified and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to practice law. A family solicitor will advise and assist their client, offering legal advice on the best course of action and dealing with all the paperwork and communication concerning a client’s case, including the drafting of documents. A solicitor will also write letters and e-mails, issue court applications and assist in negotiations.
Here at GA Solicitors in Plymouth, we have a mix of family lawyers, family solicitors and chartered legal executives. We also have paralegals and legal assistants supporting the team to ensure that our clients have the best customer experience possible.
Our family department is ranked by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500 due to the high-quality legal advice and client service we provide. You will always be in the best possible hands, and we ensure regular communication, empathy and understanding of your case.
Our dedicated family law team has decades of experience in handling a wide range of family issues and are members of the Law Society’s Children and Family Law panels. Members of the team are also accredited by Resolution, the national organisation of family lawyers.
If you need advice relating to divorce, child arrangements, financial arrangements or any other area of family law, then get in touch with our experienced team today. Call 01752 203500 or email enquiries@GAsolicitors.com for a no-obligation discussion and see how we can help.
You can read a recent family law article about custody disputes here.
You can also read an article about no-fault divorce here.
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