Civil Partnerships
Specialist Advice From Award Winning Family Lawyers
Our family lawyers have significant experience in advising couples on pre-partnership agreements, detailing financial and property arrangements in the event that the partnership end. We also provide expert advice to resolve any disputes arising from separation.
“Osbornes has incredible strength in depth across every area of family law. Areas of expertise include unravelling complicated trusts and handling pre-acquired wealth, to Children Act proceedings and advising on the financial provision for children.”
“Osbornes Law offers affluent clients representation in high-value, complex family matters.”
“Osbornes is a top-end firm, a very well-established name. They have high-value matters, deal with complex matters and have a good team.”
The Civil Partnerships Act 2004 came into force on 5 December 2005.
The Act provides a framework for the dissolution of partnerships and the resolution of financial disputes upon the breakdown of same-sex relationships where there has been a formal registration of the relationship under the Act.
Registration was allowed from 20 December 2005. Same-sex couples who sign a civil partnership registration document commit themselves to a range of rights and responsibilities essentially the same as those associated with marriage.
Civil partnership is not the same as a gay marriage. Still, the rules and legal principles concerning the creation and dissolution of civil partnerships are based mostly on those governing marriage. Before entering into a civil partnership couples may want to clarify what should happen regarding their finances in the event of separation. In these circumstances, you may want to draw up a pre-partnership agreement.
Ending a civil partnership
In the event that your civil partnership breaks down, you will need to apply for a dissolution which is the equivalent of a divorce. If children are involved legal representation can ensure the appropriate arrangements are made. The court may end a civil partnership on an application by either of the parties.
Upon dissolution, it is open to either partner to apply to the partnership finances, and such issues are dealt with in the same manner that financial disputes between married couples would be dealt with.
Specialist advice from leading lawyers
If you are entering into a civil partnership and would like to draw up a pre-nuptial agreement, have already entered into a civil partnership and wish to sort out financial or children arrangements, or if you intend to dissolve a civil partnership, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our family team who will have a confidential chat with you regarding your situation. We will then be able to advise you on whether we can help you.
FAQs
When did civil partnerships become legal in the UK?
Civil Partnerships became legal in the UK when the Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into force on 5 December 2005.
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"Osbornes handle a significant amount of complex, high-value divorce work."
"Osbornes have talented fee earners at all levels."
"Osbornes is a top-end firm, a very well-established name. They have high-value matters, deal with complex matters and have a good team."
"Lisa Pepper is a standout mediator - smart, sensitive and able to narrow the issues with ease."
"Lisa is good at cutting to the chase and identifying issues. She gets people talking and brings people together."
"Lisa is excellent - she's efficient, has a very good rapport with her clients and has an enormously outgoing energy. She is very effective in managing clients' cases."
"Mark has a strong no-nonsense approach with a dose of realism and commercial acumen that clients respond to."
"Mark is very good at taking a firm line and sticking to it. He doesn't pick unnecessary fights. He is very commercial and good on money cases, and extremely good value in the London market."
"Mark leads the team superbly. He is very able, thinks laterally, fights his client's corner, and invariably succeeds in getting a good result via negotiation or litigation."
Osbornes is vastly experienced and able to think around the issues and consider them in a new and refreshing way
Osbornes is a really good team that gives a first-class service which is both sensible and insightful but also supportive of the client's needs.
Osbornes Law offers affluent clients representation in high-value, complex family matters.
They are uniquely placed to cater for every avenue of family legal difficulty, whether financial or children.
Osbornes has one of the strongest family law teams in the business with a very wide range of experience and seniority
Osbornes has incredible strength in depth across every area of family law, from public law children and child abduction proceedings, through to adoption and surrogacy, and private client work.
Areas of expertise for the group span from unravelling complicated trusts and handling pre-acquired wealth, to Children Act proceedings and advising on the financial provision for children
"Osbornes have been a sound firm forever. They have phenomenal work."
"They provide excellent advice and service to clients."
"Osbornes Law have a very broad family practice which does all areas of family law at a high level. They have an excellent practice; they are top quality across the board."
"Osbornes offers a unique service of high quality advice and representation across a wide range of areas of law."
"The team are all eminently approachable and down to earth, committed, hardworking and who support their clients in a very effective, pragmatic way."
"Osbornes offers an excellent family law service spanning the wide range of disputes that may arise, in relation both to children and finances."
"A family team that is able to offer the highest level of expertise across the family law spectrum from high-net-worth finances through to care proceedings and children matters."
"Mark Freedman is intelligent and personable and has a good selection of high-net work cases".
"It has a strong and experienced team of solicitors who don’t take bad points, work sensibly to get a settlement and who you can always pick up the phone and speak to. They are good lawyers and know the strengths and weaknesses of their clients’ cases. They don’t posture and always pursue their clients cases appropriately. "
Mark Freedman frequently takes on high-value financial and children proceedings that involve complex tax, trust and accounting issues. Sources praise the "tenacity and common sense" he brings to challenging disputes.
"Mark is very experienced, competent, good with clients and takes a sensible approach to cases. He knows exactly what he's doing."
"Naomi Angell is a highly esteemed practitioner who is highlighted as "a leader in the field" and "extremely knowledgeable" by interviewees. She is particularly recognised for her experience in complex adoption disputes."
[The Family Law department] handles significant matrimonial finance cases and complex nuptial agreements. Respected for its expertise in cross-border children law matters.
This team is perhaps best known for its children work, often involving complex international dynamics.
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