Managing legal fees during divorce: practical guidance for separating couples
Commenting in The Independent, Partner and Head of the Divorce and Family department Deborah Jeff discusses the steps individuals can take to reduce their legal fees during divorce proceedings.
Deborah identifies preparation as the primary cost-saving measure, commenting: "A common problem where significant costs are incurred by solicitors is where clients pass on disorganised papers that are missing key information."
She goes on to suggest that listing key points of disagreement can ensure meetings are "conducted in a really cost-effective way."
On online no-fault divorce, Deborah cautions: “It doesn’t deal with the finances or arrangements for the children, so anything outside of undoing that legal state of marriage would be separate to the cost of the divorce."
"You couldn’t possibly deal with all of those satellite issues within the fixed-fee cost of the divorce."
Deborah advises individuals to "know when you can organise the essentials of your case, but also know when you need to see a specialist."
On unbundled retainers, Deborah suggests: "What’s really sensible is just to have a one-off consultation with a lawyer regarding the children and financial issues." This approach allows clients to manage their case while seeking expert advice as needed, helping to "keep an eye on the overall cost."
Where possible, Deborah encourages parties to pursue alternative dispute resolution and out of court proceedings, explaining that: "There’s such a backlog of work in the family justice system, so mediation is a really good way of trying to resolve matters. Try and keep it out of the court as much as you possibly can."
Deborah’s comments were published in The Independent, 27 March 2026.
