Looking for help with a child relocation or leave to remove issue in London?

If you are a separated parent facing a leave to remove London or child relocation case, then there really is no-one else you should choose to entrust with your families future.

We have many years of both personal and professional expertise in the field of leave to remove in London and use our own unique legal and psychological approach to your case, ensuring we have a thorough picture of all aspects of your families life, thus enabling us to represent you in the best possible way. 

Any parents, looking at the possibility of a move abroad with the children, will understand how difficult a decision this will be and that it will be fraught with complexity.  It is not an easy decision to be made and facing the prospect of both parents being in different countries will have a significant impact on the child, their childhood and their upbringing.

Any parent looking to relocate overseas and wishing for the children to move with them will need either the other parent’s permission to make the move, or alternatively, if this is not forthcoming, an order from the court.  It is far better for couples to try and reach an agreement, either between themselves or by using mediation, than by heading to the courts.  By engaging together you will have more opportunity to discuss any points that may seem to be divisive and make an arangement that is agreeable to both parties and one that works for the benefit of the children too.  Once the courts are involved the final decision will be out of your hands and non-negotiable.

When assessing these cases the courts will always place the welfare of the child before any parental needs or wishes and therefore persuading the family court that your proposals, or reasons for opposing a leave to removal application are genuine, without malice and in the best interests of the child or children can be key to winning the case.  We have personal as well as professional experience of successful leave to remove litigation.  Prior to establishing Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors,  Richard Gregorian was a partner in an international banking practice in the City of London.  Against all the legal advice he received, he utilised the joint legal and psychological approach which underpins this firm now, to ensure a successful resolution of his own personal litigation, which has had long-term benefits for the entire family.  He treats every client opposing or applying for relocation as if acting in the best interests of his own children and his track record of success speaks for itself.

Our advice for anyone wishing to relocate abroad and who is expecting opposition from the other parent is to thoroughly research all aspects of the new location, with the child at the centre and build up a complete picture of what this new life would look like.  Specific consideration should be given to some of the following, not exhaustive, questions:
Education, where would they be attending?  Are there spaces available?  Is this a good time in their education to be undertaking such a move, i.e. exams, transitioning to high school etc?  How does it compare to a UK standard?
After school activities, could the child continue with any sports or activities they currently undertake in the UK? 
How will any religious needs be met?
Will they need to learn a new language?  How will this be implemented?
What is their relationship with other family members they will be leaving in the UK i.e. grandparents etc?  If a significant relationship currently exists how will this be continued in the event of a move?
Is there any existing family in the country you are planning to relocate to?  What relation are they to you and the children?
What relationship, if any, exists between the children and the family in the country you wish to relocate to?  Do they speak the same language etc?
What the impact will be on the child with a reduction in physical contact with the left behind parent?  How will this be managed?  What arrangements can be put into place re travel for contact?  Who is paying for this?  How often can contact through social media, telephone, video calling etc be facilitated?  Are there any time zones issues that dictate the times etc.
What the child actually wants.  Do they understand the ramifications of a relocation?  Are they old enough to understand how the move will impact on them and are they happy for the relocation to happen.  Obviously this is a very age sensitive question and needs to be handled with care. 

If you are the non-resident parent you may oppose your children living overseas for any number of reasons and you may even apply to the court for a Child Arrangement Order to prevent the child from being taken abroad and/or to enable you to become the resident parent.  For any leave to remove London queries please feel free to contact us.  

Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors can also arrange Family Mediation, this will enable both parties to work through their issues and reach a mutually agreeable solution in cases where agreement cannot be reached.  The courts will always take into account the welfare of the child so working through any differences within our lawyer supported Family Mediation can help avoid traumatic and potentially costly court action. 

With the stakes being so high for you and your children in leave to remove London litigation, it could be significantly detrimental to your case if you do not seek our professional opinion and expertise in this area.  We are yet to see a relocation case run by another law firm which has been properly formulated beyond simply regurgitating fact and laying blame.  This attitude is counter productive and serves no purpose other than to increase negative tensions.  We have been successful in achieving early agreement in leave to remove proceedings and maximising cases where previous legal advisers have failed to employ a proper strategic approach to the case or failed to present the case in the most efficient way.  Because we are able to facilitate a more constructive dialogue between the parents and highlight the underlying issues, we are able to facilitate early resolution of relocation cases through agreement.

If you are looking for Leave to Remove London then look no further.

Based in Guildford and Cobham, Surrey Central London, we can help you. If you have a family dispute that needs resolving then do not hesitate to get in touch and let us help you through the process.

Call now to arrange a consultation on 01483 826 470