Our new video contains top tips from Director & Co-founder Rita Gupta on how to keep your legal costs under control during a divorce.

These are my top tips to keep your legal fees proportionate

00:05

TIP 1: Your lawyer is not your counsellor.

Don't use your solicitors meetings to denigrate your ex, or to offload on your solicitor. It's much better if you use those meetings to focus on the issues at hand.

At LGFL we say we listen with empathy, not that we listen with sympathy.

00:25

TIP 2: Prepare for meetings.

Set an agenda with your lawyer and make sure that all your documentation is ready.

00:33

TIP 3: Refrain from what I call email ping-pong.

Which is that you send a long email to your lawyer and then expect an equally long reply.

Often emails actually raise more questions than they answer.

That means that your costs are really inflated, and it's often much easier just to pick up the phone or set a one to one meeting.

00:53

TIP 4: No late night instructions.

Often they're an emotive reaction to something your ex-partner has said or done. It's much better that you reflect on the position and give measured instructions to your lawyer to action.

01:06

TIP 5: Set goals from the start.

Make sure you understand what your objectives are.

So, for example, if your main priority is to retain the former matrimonial home, you need to tell your lawyer that from the outset, because then the case is structured accordingly.

01:19

So there are my top tips for how to keep legal fees proportionate.