Nationally accredited law firm, Goughs Solicitors, asked its newest Family Law Solicitor, Juliet Gordon, to reflect on the latest development in separation and divorce: ‘No-Fault Divorce’.
No-Fault Divorce came into act on 6th April 2022. It aims to move away from the ‘blame-game’ and allows couples to divorce more amicably. Juliet Gordon joined the Wiltshire-based, and nationally recognised, family law team at Goughs Solicitors in the same week as the law changed. She therefore reflects on her journey as a Solicitor, why she made the move to Goughs and how the change in the law is likely to impact her clients moving forward.
“Having always wanted to be a lawyer, and one who provides calm and empathetic advice, whilst problem-solving and building lasting relationships with clients, the choice to specialise in family law was an easy one.
“The change in the law is therefore a very welcome one for myself and my clients. It negates the need for one party to ‘blame’ the other, instead allowing parties to agree to go their separate ways. This reduces stress which in turn is far better for any children that might be involved in the relationship.
“The change in the law also means that parties can file a joint application, if they wish to do so, which allows separating parties to take the necessary steps to part ways as a mutual decision. Whilst either party still has the option to file a sole application, the intention is that the option of a joint application will help parties who want to make the decision to divorce or end their civil partnership together. This again will reduce stress and allow for parties to separate more amicably and focus on collaboratively resolving other issues which arise as a result of the separation.
“The new divorce law introduces a new minimum overall time frame of 6 months (26 weeks) which includes a mandatory period of reflection to provide the parties with a greater opportunity to agree the practical and financial arrangements for the future.”
Juliet made the move to Goughs Solicitors after having visited the area a few years ago and loving the natural beauty in and around Wiltshire. She has joined the Goughs Farming & Rural Land sector to support families in Wiltshire’s farming communities. She plans on making the most of having an excellent work-life balance, whilst becoming the best family lawyer she can be, with the support of the team at Goughs.
On the appointment of Juliet, Partner & Head of the Family Team, Thomas Boyce commented, “We are thrilled to have welcomed Juliet to the team. 2022 is set to be another year of growth for both the family team and the firm. In the last year we have, once again, received excellent national recognition from Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for the client work we do, but primarily our aim is to provide the best possible service for our clients. We can only further our successes with the addition of such knowledgeable and passionate lawyers.”
For more information on no-fault divorce and all other family law matters, contact Juliet Gordon on email hidden; JavaScript is required.