One Couple One Lawyer Divorce Solicitors based in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire
Divorce doesn’t have to mean two sets of lawyers, two sets of fees, and two sides. The one couple, one lawyer model, built on the Resolution Together framework, lets you and your partner work with a single specialist solicitor who advises you both. It’s a more straightforward, more affordable, and more amicable way to separate, without sacrificing proper legal advice.
Our Resolution Together trained solicitors work with separating couples across Southampton, Salisbury, Bournemouth, Winchester, Poole, and London.
Speak to our Resolution Together solicitors on 0800 2800 421 or via our online enquiry form.
One couple one lawyer services we offer
The one couple one lawyer service covers most of the practical and legal issues that arise when a relationship ends. Here’s what a single Resolution Together solicitor can work through with you both.
Divorce and separation
A Resolution Together solicitor can guide you through the divorce process itself, from the initial application to the final order. Rather than managing separate legal correspondence, you both receive the same advice at the same time, which means fewer misunderstandings and a faster route to resolution.
Financial arrangements
Dividing finances fairly is often the most complex part of a separation. Your solicitor will help you both understand your options, work through what you each own and owe, and reach a financial agreement that’s fair to both parties. Where needed, we can also arrange for a neutral financial adviser or actuary to assist, particularly useful when pensions are involved.
Children and parenting arrangements
Agreeing on arrangements for your children is easier when you’re working together rather than through separate legal teams. Your solicitor will help you reach a parenting plan that puts your children’s needs first, taking into account practical day-to-day arrangements as well as longer-term decisions.
Legal documentation
Once you’ve reached an agreement, your solicitor will draft and submit all the legal documents needed to make it binding and enforceable. This includes consent orders for financial settlements and any other court-approved documentation.
How the one couple one lawyer process works
1: Individual meetings
Your solicitor meets each of you separately first. An important check to make sure the process is genuinely suitable for your situation.
2: First joint meeting
If both meetings confirm it’s the right approach, a combined session is arranged to agree the issues that need resolving. If discussing financial matters, both parties will be invited to provide financial disclosure and collate financial information for exchange.
3: Working through the issues
Over a series of joint meetings, your solicitor works through finances, property, pensions, children’s arrangements, or the divorce itself, advising you both openly at the same time.
4: Reaching an agreement
Your solicitor helps you formalise what you’ve agreed, typically far quicker than through traditional negotiation.
5: Legal documentation
All necessary documents are drafted and submitted, leaving you with a legally binding, court-approved agreement.
Why choose Trethowans for one couple one lawyer
Our family law team has the training, experience, and ethos to make the Resolution Together process work, and to make it as straightforward as possible for you both.
Recognised expertise
Our family law team have been recognised by several independent organisations. We are acknowledged in both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. Our lawyers are also listed by ThreeBestRated and Wiselaw.
Our commitment to Resolution
As members of Resolution, we follow a code of practice built around constructive, non-confrontational outcomes. The Resolution Together model sits at the heart of that commitment, and our solicitors are specifically trained to run it, advising both parties openly and fairly within a single process. Grant Cameron, Partner, previously served as National Chair of Resolution.
Speak to our one couple one lawyer solicitors today
Our Resolution Together solicitors are happy to have a general call with each party to discuss how the process works, answer your questions, and help you consider whether the one couple one lawyer process is right for you both, with no pressure to proceed.
Meet us in person
We have offices across the south of England and a base in London, making it straightforward to meet a family law solicitor face to face. You can find us in Bournemouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton and Winchester, with London appointments available on request.
Get in touch
Call us today on 0800 2800 421 or make an enquiry online to arrange your free initial consultation.
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Frequently asked questions about one couple one lawyer
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One couple one lawyer is a way of divorcing or separating where both parties instruct the same solicitor. That solicitor advises you both openly and works with you to reach a fair agreement on finances, property, and children, without the need for separate legal representation.
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Resolution Together is a framework developed by Resolution, the membership organisation for family law professionals, that allows a single solicitor to advise both parties in a separation. The solicitor acts in the interest of both people, not just one, with the goal of reaching a mutually acceptable outcome.
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One couple one lawyer works best where both parties are willing to communicate openly and reach a fair agreement. It is not suitable where there has been domestic abuse, a significant imbalance of power, or where one party feels unable to speak freely. Your solicitor will assess this before the process begins.
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Your solicitor meets each of you individually first to confirm the process is suitable. If it is, joint meetings follow in which your solicitor advises you both together, openly sharing information and working through the issues you need to resolve: finances, children, property, or the divorce itself.
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One couple one lawyer is typically faster than traditional divorce negotiation. Most couples reach agreement within a few months, compared to a year or more through solicitor correspondence or court proceedings. The timeline depends on the complexity of your financial arrangements and how quickly you can agree on the key issues.
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One couple one lawyer is generally more cost-effective than each party instructing a separate solicitor. You share the fees of a single lawyer rather than paying for two. The total cost will depend on the number of meetings needed and the complexity of your case, but your solicitor will discuss fees clearly at the outset.
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In mediation, a neutral third party helps you negotiate but cannot give legal advice. With one couple one lawyer, your solicitor actively advises you both on your legal rights and options throughout the process. This means you leave with a fully informed agreement and the legal documents to make it binding.
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In collaborative law, each party has their own solicitor and all four people meet together. With one couple one lawyer, a single solicitor advises both parties. The one couple one lawyer model tends to be more cost-effective and simpler to arrange, while collaborative law may be more appropriate in complex cases.
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Yes. Reaching agreement on children’s arrangements is one of the areas the one couple one lawyer process handles well. Your solicitor will help you agree a parenting plan that reflects your children’s needs, covering day-to-day arrangements and longer-term decisions, in a setting where both parents are heard equally.
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If the process breaks down, your solicitor will stop acting for both of you. You would each then need to instruct separate solicitors to continue. This does not happen often; the individual meetings at the outset are specifically designed to identify cases where agreement is unlikely before the process starts.
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