Divorce Lawyers in Guildford

Divorce can come from many factors. People change as they get older, circumstances can vary as we go through life and the futures we all visualise for ourselves and our families can change with the passage of time. It is normal to experience these things.

We understand that if you are reading this page you may be feeling very uncertain about your options and what you want to do at this point in your life. rhw’s Family Law Team are happy to have a chat with you and see how they can help you get your life back on track. You are not alone.

Divorce – The New Reality

In April 2022, so-called “no fault” divorce was introduced bringing about the first major change to divorce laws in England and Wales for a generation.  It is no longer necessary for one partner or the other to accept blame for the failure of the marriage.

The “no-fault” divorce by removing the requirement to lay any blame on one side or the other, enables the parties involved to focus on the practical issues at hand, including the financial settlement, rather than risk getting bogged down in the emotive, personal side of the divorce. It is hoped that this will make the process of going through a divorce slightly easier for our clients and allow us to focus on obtaining the best possible settlement for you.

However, finances, the sharing of assets, financial settlements and issues concerning children will still remain to be a challenge for many couples. This is where rhw’s legal expertise in Family Law comes into play.

Details of the New Divorce Laws

Now the new legislation is in place, there is no longer a requirement for a spouse to rely on a reason based on blame. Instead, separating couples are required to provide a statement of irretrievable breakdown. There is also an option for both spouses to apply for divorce on a joint and amicable basis. Legal jargon has been reduced and the previous second stage of the divorce known as the “Decree Nisi” is now known as a “Conditional Order.” The third and final stage of the order which was previously referred to as the “Decree Absolute” as now referred to as “Final Order.”

How rhw can help

As members of Resolution, the new legislation of removing the ‘blame game’ is welcomed. We recognise that going through a divorce can be a stressful and an emotional time for all involved but with the new legislation, it is hoped that the divorce process will make things much more straightforward and removing the pointing fingers and blame.

However, certain parts of the divorce process will not change. Some partners will try and hide money and assets. Issues over children will continue and the emotional and behavioural aspects of divorce will still be there. rhw provide experienced legal advice across all these areas and beyond. We also have a huge amount of experience with complex, international and high net worth divorce matters.

We recommend you initially contact rhw’s family law team for a chat about your present situation and options open to you. Call us on or email the team

Everyone’s circumstances are different, so what suits you may not suit someone else. Our friendly and highly effective professional team will explain the whole process and your options.

Experience Counts in Divorce Proceedings

The experience of rhw’s family law team from helping many clients over the years, has led to a deep inside knowledge of how the courts work, where the potential pitfalls lie and the best approach to the myriad amount of legal paperwork that divorce involves. They do the heavy lifting for you and avoid easily made mistakes.

We know that client service is extremely important to our clients, so it is therefore important to us! We are here to advise and assist you during this difficult time for you and your family. Communication and considered decision making is vital in allowing rhw to delivering the best service to you.

e-mail the team at  or call rhw divorce solicitors in Guildford, Surrey on

Want to contact a member of the team directly? Elizabeth Leah, Richard Middlehurst, Serena Sandhu, Hannah Gibbons and Lauren Moir.

If you wish to arrange a meeting or a call back you can contact Michelle Davies or Tracey Dowling who work on the secretarial and support side of the team via email on or call

rhw’s £150.00 (plus VAT) set fee initial consultation meeting goes well beyond the norm. We take very detailed instructions about all aspects of your current situation and case and would provide a very thorough first advice. We want you to ask us questions and lose the uncertainty and fears about how to proceed.

What we discuss will provide the basis as to the options open to you, the probable final outcomes and the legal advice we provide.

We also give you a detailed and substantial written report laying out all of the information provided and the legal advice we have provided.  You will then have a full range of material on which to confidently base future decisions.

What a recent client says about rhw’s service and support:

“Thank you so very much for all your brilliant help with my situation. I am extremely grateful to you for all your work carried out on my behalf. I am in a good situation now because of what you have been able to achieve for me.  I know you will be going on to help others go through difficult times and I wish you every success.”

Please see our separate guidance on this matter, read our article about high net worth divorce and the frequently asked questions about high net worth divorce or contact us today if you wish to discuss your matter with us.

Divorce and separation are the second biggest causes of mental health issues in the UK, behind the death of a close family member or friend.

Whereas bereavement usually has built-in structures surrounding it to help the bereaved, as well as support from friends and family, the impacts of relationship breakdown and divorce can end up leaving those involved isolated and lacking routes for support with mental and physical health issues.

Studies have repeatedly shown that divorce is associated with long-term impacts on health and negative impacts on psychological well-being. Up to half of those going through divorce report symptoms of very high stress and/or depression. It can take 18 months or more to recover from the full impact of a divorce. There is a useful guide to the symptoms of depression.

See a link at the bottom of  the page to a contact who can help you further.

‘Surrey Hypnotherapy offer clients a combination of psychotherapy techniques and hypnosis. The psychotherapy in itself is extremely beneficial and helps you to address underlying issues.’

rhw are happy to refer a client to Teba directly or, if you prefer, you can visit her website below and make contact yourself. Please mention rhw Solicitors when contacting Teba.

https://www.life-acknowledged.com/