Nicola Deakin

Divorce after Valentine’s Day... ...is a topic that quietly trends every year. When the flowers fade and the pressure to perform romance lifts, many couples are left confronting questions they’ve been avoiding. ...

The early months of 2026 have already seen the finalisation of several high-profile divorces, including those of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban and Jessica Alba and Cash Warren each after almost two decades of marriage and including...

On 21st October 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his intention to “ take presumption of contact out of law. ” At SH&Co. Family Law, Director Nicola Deakin explains what this potential change could mean for parents,...

When couples separate, it’s often an emotional and stressful time. Trust and communication can easily break down, making it much harder to reach an agreement about the children — and that’s where legal guidance can make a real difference. ...

Once you have reached an agreement about your finances and property during your divorce you should consider making this legally binding. To do this you will need to draft a consent order with the help of a solicitor and ask the court to approve it. If your...

When a relationship ends, the hardest part is often working out what happens with the children. As parents, naturally you’ll both want the very best for them — but things can become especially worrying if one parent wants to move away, whether...

Question: What does the loch ness monster, quickie divorces , bulls getting angry when seeing red and common law marriage have in common? (it’s not a joke!) Answer*: They all hail from the land of poppycock! ...

Domestic abuse can affect anyone... ... even the rich and famous – there are countless examples of celebrities, actors, rappers, musicians and sports stars arrested for domestic violence. The widely publicised cases of...

In her words: Lisa's Survivor Story* It’s a love story: Girl meets boy, they fall in love, they live happily ever after. Except it doesn’t always happen that way, does it? Yes, I met a man and fell in love....

With the shops starting to fill up with Christmas chocolate, mulled wine and bucks fizz, we cannot miss the fact that Christmas is fast approaching. For children whose parents are no longer living together, it is important to think ahead and begin...

In her words: Stella's Story Does a leopard change its spots? If I could send myself 10 years back in time and be the outside looking in, I would be wanting to shake that woman and ask her ‘ Why?...

You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors When talking about domestic abuse, I typically find that people assume only women can be victims. This is not true. Whilst statistically the majority of cases involve a...