What to Expect During Your First Meeting with a Divorce Solicitor: Key Insights and Preparation Tips

Taking that first step and booking an appointment with a divorce solicitor can feel daunting. You may be going through one of the most difficult periods of your life, and the last thing you want is to sit in a meeting feeling confused, underprepared, or unsure what to say.

The reality is that a first meeting with a divorce solicitor is not as intimidating as many people expect. It is, at its core, a conversation — a chance for you to explain your situation and for the solicitor to give you an initial picture of where you stand and what your options are.

This guide explains what that first meeting typically involves, how to prepare for it, what questions to ask, and what happens next.

Why That First Meeting Matters More Than You Think

In England and Wales, there were around 80,000 divorces granted in 2022. Behind every one of those statistics is a person — or more often two people — who had to navigate the legal process, often during an emotionally charged time.

Your first meeting with a solicitor sets the tone for how your case is handled. The information you share and the questions you ask will shape the advice you receive and the strategy your solicitor recommends. Going in prepared makes a real difference — not just to the quality of the advice you get, but to how in control and informed you feel throughout the process.

At Athi Law, our Divorce Solicitors Sheffield team understands that people arrive at that first appointment carrying a great deal more than a list of legal questions. We take the time to listen and to explain things clearly, without unnecessary jargon.

What to Bring to Your First Meeting

You do not need to arrive with every document in perfect order. Your solicitor will guide you through what is needed as the case progresses. That said, bringing some basic information to the first meeting will help the conversation move forward more usefully.

Useful things to bring or have to hand include:

• Your marriage certificate, or at least the date and location of your marriage

• A rough picture of your financial situation — income, savings, property, debts, and any pension arrangements

• Details of any children, including their ages and current living arrangements

• Any correspondence you have already received from your spouse or their solicitor

• Notes on any pressing concerns, such as the family home, access to children, or a joint business

• A note of any court orders already in place — for example, if there have been previous family court proceedings

You do not need to have everything memorised. Writing down a few key points beforehand means you are less likely to forget something important in the moment.

Our blog post on how to choose the right divorce solicitor for your case is worth reading before your appointment, as it helps you understand what to look for and what to expect from a good solicitor-client relationship.

What the Solicitor Will Ask You

Your solicitor will want to understand your situation before giving any advice. Expect to be asked questions along the following lines.

About your marriage: When did you marry? When did you separate? Is the separation recent or have you been living separately for some time? Are you both agreed that the marriage has broken down, or is there likely to be a dispute about that?

About children: Do you have children under 18? Where are they currently living? Are there any existing arrangements in place? Are there any concerns about their welfare?

About finances: What is your rough financial picture — income, property, savings, debts, and pensions? Are finances held jointly or separately? Is there a business involved? Has either of you made any significant financial transactions recently?

About the relationship with your spouse: Are you on speaking terms? Do you have

legal representation? Is there any history of domestic abuse or safeguarding concerns? These questions are asked sensitively and for good reason — they affect which legal options are appropriate and safe for you.

None of this is an interrogation. Your solicitor is building a picture so they can give you relevant, tailored advice rather than generic information.

What You Should Ask the Solicitor

This is your meeting too. Come prepared with questions — there are no silly ones. Here are some worth asking at a first appointment.

What are my options? 

You may not be aware of all the routes available to you, including mediation, collaborative law, or solicitor-negotiated settlements, in addition to contested court proceedings. Understanding the full range of options early on is important.

What does the process look like from here? 

Ask for a rough timeline so you have a realistic sense of how long things might take. The no-fault divorce process, introduced in April 2022, has changed the timeline for the divorce itself — but financial and children's matters can still take significantly longer to resolve.

What will this cost? 

Do not shy away from asking about fees. A good solicitor will be upfront about how they charge, whether that is by the hour or on a fixed-fee basis for certain stages, and what a realistic overall cost might look like depending on how contested the case becomes.

Will I have to go to court? 

Many divorces are resolved without anyone setting foot in a courtroom. Your solicitor should be able to give you an honest view on how likely that is in your situation.

Who will handle my case? 

In some firms, the person you meet at the first appointment is not the person who handles your file day to day. It is reasonable to ask who will be your main point of contact.

Our post on understanding the legal process for no-fault divorce explains how the divorce process itself now works in England and Wales, which is helpful context before your first meeting.

Understanding Costs and Funding Options

Divorce costs vary enormously depending on how complex the case is and how much agreement there is between you and your spouse. An uncontested divorce where finances and children's arrangements are agreed relatively smoothly might cost in the region of £1,500 to £3,000 in solicitor fees. A fully contested divorce with court hearings can run to £15,000 or significantly more per side.

Most solicitors charge by the hour, with rates varying depending on their experience and location. Some offer fixed fees for specific stages of the process, such as advising on a financial consent order.

In terms of funding, options include:

• Paying privately from your own funds

• Legal aid — available only in very limited circumstances in family cases, primarily where there is evidence of domestic abuse or child protection concerns

• Some solicitors offer payment plans or deferred payment arrangements

• Litigation loans from specialist finance providers

Being clear about your budget from the outset allows your solicitor to advise you on the most cost-effective approach for your situation — and to flag where costs might escalate so you can make informed decisions at each stage.

What Happens After the First Meeting

At the end of your first appointment, your solicitor should give you a clear summary of the advice they have provided, the options available to you, and what the next steps would be if you choose to proceed.

You are under no obligation to instruct that solicitor after the first meeting. It is perfectly reasonable to speak to one or two solicitors before deciding who you want to represent you.

If you do decide to proceed, your solicitor will typically send you a client care letter setting out their terms of engagement, their hourly rate or fee structure, and an initial cost estimate. Once you have signed and returned this, the formal work begins.

In terms of the divorce itself — the legal end of the marriage — the process now involves applying for a Conditional Order and then a Final Order, with a minimum period of 20 weeks from the start of proceedings. Financial and children's matters are dealt with separately and can run alongside or after the divorce proceedings. Our post on understanding the divorce process in the UK gives a good overview of the full timeline.

If Children Are Involved

If you have children, their welfare will be central to your case. Where possible, parents are encouraged to agree arrangements between themselves — either directly or with the help of a mediator — rather than asking the court to decide.

That said, some situations do require court involvement, whether because agreement cannot be reached or because there are concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Our child custody solicitors Sheffield team handles child arrangements cases alongside divorce proceedings, which means you do not need to instruct separate solicitors for each aspect of your situation.

It is also worth reading our post on the importance of legal representation in contested divorces if you anticipate that children's arrangements or financial matters may become disputed.

Property and Financial Matters to Think About

One of the most common areas of concern at a first meeting is the family home — particularly if you are both still living in it, if one of you wants to stay, or if there is a mortgage in joint names.

Your solicitor will explain the options, which typically include one party buying out the other's share, selling the property and dividing the proceeds, or in some cases, a deferred sale where one party remains in the property until a particular event — such as the youngest child finishing school.

If you are at the stage of remortgaging in your sole name, or if your lender requires confirmation that your spouse understands the implications of removing themselves from the mortgage, independent legal advice for mortgage from a separate solicitor is often required. Our post on how to divide property and finances in a divorce is a helpful guide to how the court approaches financial division more broadly.

Financial disclosure is also a crucial part of any financial settlement. Both parties are required to provide full and frank disclosure of their assets, income, and liabilities. Our post on the importance of full financial disclosure in divorce proceedings explains what this involves and why cutting corners here can cause serious problems down the line.

For clients in the West Midlands, our conveyancing Dronfield and Sheffield teams can handle any property transfers or sales that arise from a financial settlement, meaning you can manage the legal and property aspects of your divorce under one roof. If a property sale or transfer is part of your settlement and you need a solicitor to handle the conveyancing side, our conveyancing Sheffield team works closely with our family law team to keep things joined up.

When Divorce Connects to Other Legal Areas

Divorce rarely exists in isolation. Depending on your circumstances, the breakdown of your marriage may have implications beyond the immediate family law issues.

If your spouse is in the UK on a visa that was tied to the marriage — for example, a partner or spouse visa — the divorce will affect their immigration status. It is important that they seek advice promptly from immigration solicitors Sheffield to understand their options and avoid any unintended breach of their visa conditions.

If either of you needs independent legal advice — for example, before signing a financial consent order or agreeing to a deed of separation — this must come from a solicitor who is not acting for the other party. Our team can provide this as a standalone service where needed.

Our family law Sheffield practice covers the full spectrum of family-related legal matters, so whatever combination of issues your situation involves, we can advise you in a joined-up way rather than treating each matter in a silo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a solicitor to get divorced?

You are not legally required to use a solicitor for the divorce process itself — you can apply online as a litigant in person. However, when it comes to financial settlements and children's arrangements, having proper legal advice significantly reduces the risk of agreeing to something that is not in your best interests, or of making a costly mistake.

What if I cannot afford a solicitor for everything?

You do not have to instruct a solicitor for every aspect of your divorce. Some people use a solicitor on a limited basis — for example, to review and advise on a financial consent order that has been reached by agreement, rather than to manage the entire case. This is sometimes called "unbundled" legal services.

Can my spouse and I use the same solicitor?

No. A solicitor can only act for one party in a divorce. Using the same solicitor creates a conflict of interest. However, both of you using solicitors does not mean the process has to be adversarial — your respective solicitors can work constructively together to reach agreement without going to court.

Will my spouse find out I have seen a solicitor?

Not as a result of simply attending a consultation. Solicitor-client communications are confidential. If you decide to instruct a solicitor and they write to your spouse or their solicitor, that correspondence is clearly from a legal representative — but the fact that you have sought advice before that point is private.

What if I am not sure I want a divorce yet?

That is completely fine. Many people attend an initial appointment to understand their options without having made a final decision. A solicitor can explain what divorce involves, what alternatives exist — such as legal separation — and what the consequences of different choices might be, without any pressure to proceed.

How long does the whole process take?

The divorce itself — the legal dissolution of the marriage — takes a minimum of around six months from the date of application under the current no-fault divorce process. Financial and children's matters can take longer, particularly if they are contested, and it is not uncommon for the overall process to take one to two years or more in complex cases.

Ready to Take the First Step?

Booking that first appointment is often the hardest part. Once you are in the room and the conversation is underway, most people find it far less daunting than they had anticipated — and far more useful.

At Athi Law, we make it our priority to ensure you leave that first meeting feeling clearer, calmer, and better informed about your situation than when you arrived. We are a family-run firm serving clients across Sheffield, Dronfield, and West Bromwich, and we handle divorce and family law matters with the care and sensitivity they deserve.

Contact our team today to arrange your initial consultation. We are here to help you take that first step with confidence.