From lawyers to financial planners – Your complete crew for a safe landing
Divorce is like flying at 20,000 ft when your engines die and the pilot bails out.
No one plans it. You were expecting to land safely at a beautiful destination. But now you have to make an emergency landing on some unknown airstrip, and someone might be entitled to half your luggage.
You really need the right crew.
- Family law solicitors – Provide legal advice, negotiate settlements, and represent you in court if necessary.
- Mediators – Help both parties reach fair, amicable agreements on finances and children, without going to court.
- Pension on divorce experts (PODE) – Calculate how pensions should be shared or offset to achieve a fair outcome.
- Divorce coaches – Offer emotional support and practical guidance through the personal challenges of separation.
- Financial advisers – Help you obtain an optimal financial settlement and begin to make long term plans to secure long term financial freedom.
But who exactly do you need? And do you need them all?
Do I need a lawyer to get divorced?
Lawyers (collective term for solicitors and barristers) are like highly skilled engineers.
If you’ve a mechanically dubious aircraft or expect to face challenging conditions, you’ll need someone with highly technical knowledge to get you down in one piece.
In complex or contentious cases, family law solicitors are essential. They:
- Represent your legal interests.
- Navigate court processes and legal frameworks.
- Collaborate with mediators and financial professionals to support your wider goals.
⚖️ Legal changes to know:
The 2022 no-fault divorce reform means:
“Separating couples do not have to prove a fault-based fact against their ex-partner, or spend years still married to obtain a divorce.”
(S. Boyce, 2023, Law Society)
As a result, 39% of couples now complete their divorce without legal representation.
But if you are likely to be in legal dispute about ownership of assets, investments or liabilities, if you have financial complexity, or are likely to face dispute around child arrangements, legal advice is absolutely crucial.
Do I need a mediator to get divorced?
Mediators are like co-pilots—highly trained, impartial, and focus on helping you steer safely through legal and emotional turbulence. They sometimes work alongside lawyers. Other divorcing couples utilise their skills instead of a lawyer, depending on the specifics of their situations and the levels of dispute.
They:
- Work neutrally with both parties to resolve disputes.
- Help you to reach agreements on finances, childcare, and living arrangements.
- Reduce emotional strain and costly legal battles.
According to John Hind at Compass Resolution
“70% of couples can resolve their divorce through mediation at a cost of 1-3k each, compared to 12 months waiting for court hearings and up to £20,000 each in legal bills.”
You’ll still need a court order to finalise agreements—but this is usually a straightforward process and the court fee for the consent order is just £593.
Do I need a pension on divorce expert (PODE) to get divorced?
If defined benefit pensions are involved, a PODE is non-negotiable. They’re your specialist navigator, charting the most efficient path through complex terrain.
They:
- Calculate how pensions should be fairly split or offset.
- Work impartially for both parties regardless of who initially instructed them.
- Focus purely on pension sharing—they are not authorised or regulated to give broader financial advice.
Courts may reject divorce settlements if your proposal inadequately addresses pensions, particularly defined benefit pensions, and lacks appropriate expert input.
Do I need a divorce coach to get divorced?
You’ve got the crew handling the mechanics. But what about you?
A divorce coach is like the Purser (aka chief Flight Attendant)—a calm, caring presence amidst the chaos. They offer:
- Emotional support
- Practical advice on co-parenting, communication, and rebuilding
- Space to vent and process the fallout
YourPivot describes divorce coaching as
“Holistic emotional and practical support.”
Think of it as therapy-meets-strategy.
Do I need a financial adviser to get divorced?
Financial advisers / planners are your chief navigators. They can be vital when you’re suddenly responsible for managing wealth, pensions, or assets solo.
Good ones:
- Help interpret financial disclosure, budgets, Form Es and PODE reports
- Use cash flow modelling to illustrate the long-term financial impact of the proposed financial settlement
- Recommend specific actions, instruments and tailored products to optimise your post-divorce financial situation and implement those changes on your behalf
- Construct a bespoke financial plan which supports future life goals and long-term ambitions
- Implement this plan, including the implementation of your pension sharing order
Unlike a PODE, we are regulated to give tailored financial advice and will look at the bigger picture, helping you move from reactive decision-making to proactive life design.
🧭 Key takeaways
- Not all professionals are needed in every divorce—assess based on complexity and needs
- Lawyers are indispensable in complex or acrimonious cases
- Mediation can be faster and cheaper than litigation but still require the court’s approval to take effect
- PODEs are critical when defined benefit pensions are involved
- Divorce coaches offer powerful emotional and practical support
- Financial advisers provide regulated advice to implement your financial settlement, including pension sharing orders, and optimise your financial future
