Can you get divorced in England & Wales if you married abroad? Key legal considerations explained
We outline how an overseas marriage is treated under English and Welsh law for anyone considering divorce.
Family law and divorce solicitors in Liverpool
Our award-winning family law team, based at Exchange Flags in Liverpool city centre, provides expert legal advice on divorce, child arrangements, fertility law and financial matters.
0333 004 4488
family@brabners.com
The full range of family law services for Liverpool
Our nationally-recognised team, amongst the largest in the North, provides bespoke legal advice on all areas of family law issues, including:
- Alternative dispute resolution — we have a wealth of experience in using ADR. Compared to traditional court options, it can be a quicker, more cost-effective way to achieve a suitable resolution, even in complex family law disputes.
- Child arrangements — our talented team has a highly successful record in all manner of child law matters. This includes complex child-related disputes, abduction and relocation.
- Co-habitation — cohabitation with your partner doesn't constitute a common law marriage nor afford the same financial rights as being a married couple. We help cohabitees to safeguard their individual rights and interests.
- Divorce and financial settlements — while most divorces proceed in a straightforward way, some can be more complex, particularly international cases. We represent your best interests and help you to achieve financial security in these proceedings.
- Fertility, surrogacy and parenthood — our pioneering fertility law specialists are among the country’s most experienced and well-regarded. We've helped to shape the rapidly evolving areas of law relating to parental orders, donor conception and surrogacy.
- Pre- and post-nuptial agreements — we can guide you sensitively through every stage of creating a pre- or post-nup — a pragmatic way of safeguarding property, businesses, trusts and inherited wealth should your relationship break down at some point in the future.
Family law can be complex and highly specialised, not to mention inherently personal. These can be times of great emotional upheaval — we're here to guide you through the entire process.
We adopt a sensitive, strategic, outcome-oriented approach focused on achieving the best possible resolution for you, while minimising confrontation. We handle cases on behalf of individuals with a range of backgrounds, routinely including those with complex, high-value assets.
Please to view this map.
Award-winning family and divorce lawyers, serving Liverpool since 1815
Recognised in The Times Best Law Firms, The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, we're one of the largest family law teams in the North. Rest assured of having the best expertise on your side.
Led by experienced child law expert Cara Nuttall, our pioneering team is at the forefront of many fast-developing areas of family law, such as modern families, surrogacy and alternative dispute resolution. Our Liverpool-based team also includes high-value and complex divorce and financial settlement specialist Helen Marriott, marriage breakdown and wealth protection expert Richard Rigg, divorce and childcare dispute lawyer Kate Barlow and family law solicitor Katie Coleman.
Our family lawyers are commended by peers as leaders in their respective fields, including international divorce, child issues, fertility law and financial matters. Our expertise is routinely called on for TV, radio and press.
We're also accredited with Resolution, meaning that we adopt a non-confrontational and constructive approach to resolving family issues. Our solicitors are members of various organisations championing change and best practice in family law — despite our size, we offer a personal approach.
We cover the entire Merseyside region, including the city of Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and beyond. We can work with you virtually or meet face-to-face at our office at Exchange Flags — whatever works best for you.
Talk to us by calling 0333 004 4488, emailing family@brabners.com or completing our contact form.
Meet our Liverpool team
Accredited, experienced family law experts
“After a ten-year ordeal — spanning separation, divorce, child custody and financial disputes... The outcome is everything I'd hoped and prayed for — not just for me but for my girls, my future and the chance to finally move forward... [I prayed] for God to hand-pick not just any legal counsel but His very best for my case. And He chose YOU.”
Client feedback
“Brabners is an outstanding firm. The way in which you manage our family’s affairs gives us genuine confidence and peace of mind — we quite literally sleep easier at night knowing that matters are in your hands.”
Brabners Personal client
“Joe Ailion [has] a depth of understanding and empathy rarely seen in a solicitor... His honest and straightforward advice, coupled with a genuine warmth, created a sense of security for our family during a tumultuous time. For us, Joe is not just a solicitor — he’s a beacon of hope and reassurance.”
Family law client
A purpose-led independent family law firm, our heritage in Liverpool dates all the way back to 1815.
Proudly anchored in the North, our independence allows us to be objective, principled and provide a service with heart and personality.
In 2022, we became the largest law firm in the UK to become B Corp certified, an independent recognition that we're purpose-driven, committed to creating benefits for all stakeholders and operating as a force for good.
Northern Ambition
The collaborative network for purpose-led businesses. We’re building a more sustainable and innovative tomorrow.
Read more
Sustainable Business
In 2022, we proudly became the UK’s largest law firm (and the first outside London) to become B Corp certified.
Read more
Community Impact
We channel the energy of our public-spirited people and clients towards improving our local communities.
Read more
Expert family law insights
Bad behaviour & divorce — does an affair affect the financial settlement?
We explore how adultery and other forms of misconduct fit into the current divorce framework and when behaviour affects the financial settlement.
A guide to trusts in divorce — 5 practical tips to protect your wealth
We explore how the courts approach trusts on divorce and outline the key considerations for dealing with them after separation.
What happens when separated parents can’t agree on a school?
We explore how decisions around schools are made, the processes available to help parents to reach agreement and the court’s approach when they can't.
Divorce — what happens to my business in a financial settlement?
We explore the process of valuing a business and reaching a financial settlement upon divorce or dissolution.
What happens to parents’ investment in the family home on divorce? 6 factors that courts will assess
We explore how the courts approach parental contributions in divorce and the practical steps families may need to consider.
Pensions in divorce — achieving equality in retirement through sharing, attachment & offsetting
We explore how pensions are treated in divorce, from entitlement and valuation to division options.
5 types of financial order on divorce or civil partnership dissolution explained
We set out everything you need to know about financial orders — how they work, the different types and more.
Void & voidable marriages — what are they & when can you annul?
We explain how and when a marriage can be annulled as well as how to know if a marriage is void or voidable.
A guide to financial remedy proceedings
We explore how financial remedy proceedings work, what the court takes into account and the steps involved.
Child contact arrangements at Christmas — 6 top tips for separated parents
We share some top tips to help families to co‑parent amicably and organise child contact arrangements during the festive period.
The Times Best Law Firms
We're thrilled to have been commended in three separate categories in The Times Best Law Firms 2026.
Good Divorce Week — building a support network to achieve an amicable separation
For Good Divorce Week, we explore how emotional support and legal guidance work together to reduce conflict and uncertainty.
Navigating divorce during menopause — legal, emotional & financial considerations
We explore the biological realities of menopause and the impact that it can have on divorce settlements and financial claims.
The importance of a Pension Sharing Order & how to enforce one
The importance of a Pension Sharing Order, the process for implementing one and the remedies available if one party fails to engage in that process.
Should you have an NDA when getting divorced?
NDAs are becoming more prevalent in divorce proceedings, especially for high-profile individuals or where sensitive information is concerned — but do you need one?
Potanina v Potanin — the importance of jurisdiction in international divorce cases
International divorce cases are highly complex and the choice of jurisdiction can make a significant difference to financial outcomes.
The September divorce spike explained
January and September are the most ‘popular’ months to begin divorce proceedings — we look at why and top tips for couples thinking of separation.
I've been married for less than 12 months — how can I get a divorce?
Divorce isn't an option until after 12 months — but alternatives like annulment, judicial separation and separation agreements are available.
Brabners adds to partnership in record round of promotions
A total of 41 lawyers have been promoted across the firm including Rachel James and Richard Rigg who have become part of our almost 100-strong partnership.
Standish v Standish — what is ‘matrimonial property’ in divorce & financial remedy proceedings?
The Supreme Court has clarified the law surrounding when ‘non-matrimonial property’ can become ‘matrimonial property’.
Family Court fees set to rise from 1 April 2025
It’s proposed that over 60 Family Court fees will be increasing from 1 April to support the running of the notoriously underfunded His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
When can a Judge write to a child?
The President of the Family Division has released a toolkit to support family Judges when writing to children.
Gifting Shares: Navigating 2026 Inheritance Tax Changes for Family Business Owners
Here, Steven Appleton from our estate planning team and Amy Harris from our family law team explain the options available to family business owners, including sensible steps to take to secure your estate from future divorce or separation.
Do I have to attend family dispute mediation? 15 exemptions explained
Mediation may not be suitable for every case. Our family law team explain 15 exemptions where court proceedings may be more appropriate.
Contact our Liverpool family law experts
Loading form...