Family law firms are enjoying a period of steady growth and rising revenues, a new report reveals.

The UK Family Law Market Trends Report notes revenue growth across the sector of 4.1 per cent during 2021, thanks to a surge in demand for legal assistance with financial settlement disputes. Cases involving multiple countries and high net worth individuals also both increased. The overall number of family court cases completed rose in 2021, as court backlogs caused by the pandemic were cleared.

Meanwhile, other family law fundamentals fell in 2021, according to the report. Divorce petition filings decreased for the third year in a row: by 4.5 per cent. Unsurprisingly however, matrimonial cases remain the largest category of family law disputes – over 40 per cent of cases concern divorce and related matters. More than 75 per cent of all divorce petitions are now filed online.

The demand for legal assistance with settlements and disputes over children is likely to remain steady as 2022 continues, report authors IRN Research claim. They expect:

“…higher value growth in the market in 2022 compared to 2021 although the arrival of no-fault divorces adds some uncertainty to the market: will this lead to more DIY divorces or will it enable more advisors to develop services that can deal with both parties together?”

UK Family Law Market Trends Report 2022 also notes “a growing number of specialist family law firms” benefitting from steady growth in the sector. Major Family Law is one such firm. Based in Ponteland, near Newcastle, the firm recently enjoyed a record year, growing by more than 30 per cent and recruiting no less than nine new team members.

Since January last year, the firm has hired four solicitors – Sahil Aggerwal, Peter Dixon, Stacy Williams and Katie Wright – alongside three paralegals: Anya Harrison, Anna Glover and Megan Wood. Earlier this year, Anya became a trainee solicitor. Last but certainly not least, two experienced legal secretaries also joined the team – Jane Forster and Tracey Feeney.

The firm now employs 26 people, including 15 expert lawyers. Founder and managing director Joanne Major said:

“The focus of the last 12 months has been to develop the junior arm of the team. As part of my role as managing director, I train and mentor the junior arm of the growing team, recruiting like-minded young family lawyers who operate to my high standards of professionalism, attention to detail and efficiency.”

Joanne added:

“The ongoing recruitment of the junior team is fast creating a new generation of talented, well regarded legal professionals working to support the firm’s growing national clientele.”

The UK Family Law Market Report 2022 is available from IRN Research.