Lewis Hulatt, South East Consultant of Major Family Law, the best Divorce and Family Law specialists, comments:
Been together over 40 years, but it feels like you want different things these days. Not sure you even speak the same language – if you ever did. One finds the other controlling and stifling. The other does not appear to listen and wants things their own way. You tried to change things, but what they offered was too little too late. Result = separation.
Obviously I was talking about Brexit – the decision of just enough voters to leave the EU, but the parallels are very clear and so is the most important lesson for now: people need to think things through to work out the practicalities to maximise benefit and minimise harm.
There are emotional issues involved – feelings of regret, anger and the loss of expectation and that will be as true for Britain as in domestic relationships. Already, we have ‘the children’ unhappy with the decision and finding it difficult. In a democracy, when a decision is made, the social contract between people is that we try our best to put that decision into effect in the best way devisable and that should also be what families do.
There are no immediate legal impact of Brexit under family law – such is the opinion of Resolution, the multi-disciplinary body that includes many family solicitors and the experts they work with. What we can be sure of is that family law will be a low priority for a Government faced with the heavy burden of sifting through the interaction of English and European laws so as to replace applicable EU laws and regulations with British ones. Preserving a legal environment in which trade and commerce can continue will be a priority because without business, there is almost no tax revenue to pay for the things that the public demand, like the NHS.
So, whilst investments, long-term business prospects and general economic factors will be of concern, it seems unlikely that Brexit will have a major impact on family law in the near future.
What we must do is the same as sensible spouses should do and that is think about what needs to be sorted out and do so in ways that bring the greatest benefit and the least harm. That is best achieved using a problem-solving approach, rather than antagonism and reproach.
The solicitors at Major Family Law are experienced in that.