New family law firm to launch on ‘Divorce Day’
A NEW family law firm in south Wales will launch later this month.
Lux has been founded by Charlotte Leyshon, who has specialised in private family law since 2003.
Based in Cardiff, the firm will be officially launched on January 8 – which has been dubbed “Divorce Day”.
This is when divorce lawyers are expecting to see a surge in new inquiries for divorce advice on the first working day of the year after the Christmas break.
Ms Leyshon said: “I have been practising family law since 2003 and, in my experience, the first working week in January is much busier than at other times of the year, though I’ve had new inquiries come through as early as Boxing Day.
“There was even one desperately sad case of a lady calling on Christmas Day.
“She had discovered a receipt for a diamond Rolex that she didn’t end up finding under the Christmas tree. It turned out to be for someone else who her husband had been having an affair with and the whole thing came to a head on Christmas Day.”
However, she stressed that many divorce inquiries do not necessarily result in divorce proceedings being issued, with many people wanting to seek advice after a stressful festive period.
Ms Leyshon said: “With any initial meeting, I would ask a client if they truly believe the marriage is over. I would always suggest couples have counselling as a first step.
“It can often be the case that tensions run very high over Christmas and resorting to a divorce is not a step that should be taken lightly.”
Recent findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that there was a 5% increase in divorce petitions presented at court in 2016, compared to the previous year.
The average marriage now lasts 12 years, with the average age for a divorcing man between 45 and 49, while women are more likely to be between 30 and 39.
Overall, statistics show that 42% of marriages now end in divorce.
Ms Leyshon, originally from Newport, was previously with law firm Hugh James, having returned to south Wales in 2013 after working for media law firm Davenport Lyons in Mayfair.