Rooney Family Law is a specialist family law firm. Family law is not one of the things we do; it is the only thing we do. Our family lawyers in Glasgow work from two offices — 24 Blythswood Square in the city centre and Spiersbridge House in Thornliebank, on the Southside — are fully staffed and open by appointment. Our solicitors travel to whichever of our offices suits you, so you see the right specialist for your case rather than simply whoever is nearest — most of our solicitors hold one or more Law Society of Scotland specialist accreditations in family or child law, with the rest working towards them.
If you are facing separation, divorce, or a dispute about your children or finances, we offer a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes so you can explain your situation and understand your options before committing to anything.
Why Instruct Specialist Family Lawyers in Glasgow
Most solicitors in Glasgow who take on family cases also do conveyancing, wills, commercial work, or crime. We do not. Every solicitor at Rooney Family Law practises family law exclusively, which means the person handling your case has seen your situation — or something very close to it — many times before. Separation raises questions that cut across divorce, children, property, and pensions at once, and the answers interact: a concession on the house affects the pension claim; the residence arrangement affects maintenance. A specialist sees the whole board.
Certainty
When the law feels complex and overwhelming
Protection
When family life becomes contested
Practical Solutions
That deliver fair outcomes and let you move forward
Our Glasgow Offices and the Courts We Appear In
City Centre: Ground Floor, 24 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4BG. Telephone: 0141 258 8685. Southside: Spiersbridge House, 1 Spiersbridge Way, Thornliebank, Glasgow G46 8NG. Telephone: 0141 258 8685. Both offices are appointment only, with reception staff on hand, and appointments are available in person, by telephone, or by video, including flexible times where needed.
Family cases for the city are dealt with at Glasgow Sheriff Court, and we appear there regularly. Most family cases, however, never reach a courtroom at all — and keeping yours out of one, where that serves you, is usually the better outcome.
Between the two offices we serve clients across the whole city and beyond — the city centre, West End, and north of the river from Blythswood Square, and the Southside, Thornliebank, Giffnock, Clarkston, Newton Mearns, and East Renfrewshire from Spiersbridge.
Divorce in Glasgow
Our divorce lawyers in Glasgow handle both routes daily. Scots law recognises two routes to divorce, and choosing correctly matters for both cost and speed.
Simplified Procedure
Available where you have been separated for one year and your spouse consents, or for two years without consent, there are no children of the marriage under 16, and neither of you is making a financial claim. It is a paper-based application, and once lodged at court it typically concludes within a matter of weeks.
Ordinary Procedure
Applies in every other case — wherever there are children under 16 or financial matters to resolve. An undefended ordinary divorce usually takes a few months; a defended action takes considerably longer, which is one reason so few divorces are ultimately defended.
The ground in both cases is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, established by adultery, unreasonable behaviour, or the separation periods — explained fully on our grounds for divorce page. Most Scottish divorces proceed on the separation grounds, and most are not defended. In practice, the divorce itself is often the last and simplest step: the real work is agreeing what happens to the children, the house, and the pensions first.
Separation and Minutes of Agreement
Where terms can be agreed — and with the right advice, they usually can — the agreement is recorded in a Minute of Agreement, a binding contract covering the children, the home, maintenance, pensions, and anything else that needs resolved. Registered in the Books of Council and Session, it is enforceable without any further court process. It is faster, cheaper, and considerably less bruising than litigation, and it is how the majority of well-advised separations in Scotland actually conclude. Our guide to Minutes of Agreement explains the process.
Children: Residence and Contact
Scots law has not used the language of “custody” and “access” since the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 — many people still say custody and access, but residence and contact are the correct legal terms. The questions that matter are where a child lives (residence) and how they spend time with each parent (contact), and the court’s paramount consideration is the welfare of the child. Where parents cannot agree, the sheriff can make orders under section 11 of the 1995 Act, including residence orders, contact orders, and specific issue orders.
Two things surprise many parents. First, the court must give the child the opportunity to express a view, and there is no minimum age — the old presumption that only children aged 12 or over would be heard has gone. Second, an unmarried father who is jointly registered on the birth certificate (for births registered from 4th May 2006) holds full parental rights and responsibilities automatically. Our residence and child contact pages explain how these applications work in practice.
Financial Provision and Pensions
On divorce, the starting point under the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 is the fair sharing of the matrimonial property — broadly, everything built up between the date of marriage and the date of separation, valued at the date of separation. The 1985 Act then allows adjustment for specific principles: economic advantage and disadvantage during the marriage, the future cost of caring for children, adjustment from financial dependence, and serious financial hardship.
Division and valuations
Sharing orders — often the largest asset after the home, and the most commonly overlooked
Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial
Aliment and periodical allowance
Pre-Nuptial and Cohabitation Agreements
Scottish courts will generally uphold a pre-nuptial agreement that was fair and reasonable at the time it was entered into, which makes them a genuinely useful tool here in a way they are not everywhere in the UK. They are particularly worth considering where one party brings significant assets, a business, or an inheritance into the marriage.
For couples who live together without marrying, the position is very different from marriage — there is no “common law marriage” in Scotland. The Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 provides limited claims on separation, including the section 28 claim, which must be raised within one year of the date of separation — a deadline that catches people out every year. The Scottish Government is currently reviewing this area of law. See our pre-nuptial agreements and cohabitation pages.
Our Fees
For straightforward cases we offer fixed fees, and where hourly rates apply we bill in 3-minute units rather than the 6-minute units many firms use, so a two-minute email is recorded as three minutes rather than six.
You receive a clear costs estimate at the outset and updates as your case progresses. Full details are on our fees page, and every new enquiry starts with a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes.
Family Law in Glasgow: Frequently Asked Questions
Where are your Glasgow offices?
We have two Glasgow offices: Ground Floor, 24 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4BG in the city centre, and Spiersbridge House, 1 Spiersbridge Way, Thornliebank, Glasgow G46 8NG on the Southside. Both are appointment only, with reception staff on hand, and appointments are available in person, by telephone, or by video.
Which court deals with family cases in Glasgow?
Family cases for Glasgow are dealt with at Glasgow Sheriff Court, and we appear there regularly. Most family cases settle without a final hearing.
How much does it cost to see a family solicitor in Glasgow?
Your first step is a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes, followed by a short follow-up email summarising the position. Any advice beyond that is charged at our normal rates. We offer fixed fees for certain defined matters — £550 all-in for a simplified divorce and £1,550 all-in for an ordinary undefended divorce — and these apply only where the divorce is undefended and there are no financial matters or child-related issues to resolve. Other work is charged at the applicable hourly rate in 3-minute units, and we will discuss likely costs with you before paid work begins, keeping you updated if the scope of the work changes.
How much does a family solicitor cost in Scotland?
The cost depends on the work involved and who carries it out. We offer fixed fees for certain defined matters: £550 all-in for a simplified divorce and £1,550 all-in for an ordinary undefended divorce. These fixed fees apply only where the divorce is undefended and there are no financial matters or child-related issues to resolve. Where hourly rates apply, we bill in 3-minute units rather than the six-minute units commonly used by solicitors, which can reduce the charge for shorter tasks.
How much does a divorce cost in Glasgow?
For straightforward cases we offer fixed fees: £550 for a simplified divorce and £1,550 for an ordinary undefended divorce, both all-in. Defended or complex matters are charged at hourly rates in 3-minute billing units, and we give you a clear costs estimate at the outset.
How long does a divorce take in Scotland?
A simplified divorce typically concludes within a matter of weeks of being lodged at court. An undefended ordinary divorce usually takes a few months, and a defended action considerably longer. Agreeing matters by Minute of Agreement first is usually the fastest route overall.
Do you deal with pre-nuptial agreements?
Yes. Scottish courts will generally uphold a pre-nuptial agreement that was fair and reasonable at the time it was entered into, and we regularly draft and advise on them at both Glasgow offices.
How do I get free legal advice in Glasgow?
You can use the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s eligibility tools and solicitor finder to check whether legal aid may be available and find a firm that provides it. Citizens Advice Scotland also provides free information and can direct you to local advice. Rooney Family Law does not provide legal aid. Our free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes, with a short follow-up email, is a no-cost way to understand your position, and any further advice is charged at our normal rates.
Do solicitors still give 30 minutes free advice?
Practices vary between firms. We do not offer a free 30-minute legal advice appointment. We offer a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes to understand the broad issue, explain how we may be able to help and discuss next steps, followed by a short follow-up email. Any further advice is then charged at our normal rates.
How quickly can I speak to a family lawyer?
We offer every new enquiry a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes, usually within one working day.
Where a settlement is agreed, we record it in a Minute of Agreement and register it for enforcement. See our separation agreement solicitors page for the process and our fees.
Reviews of Rooney Family Law
Selected Google reviews from clients across our Scottish offices.
The decision to instruct Rooney family law was one of the best decisions I have made.
Excellent guidance, advice, professionalism and reassurance throughout.
It has been important to be able put my trust in someone at such an important and difficult time in my life.
Everyone has been supportive and helpful throughout.
I would not hesitate to recommend your services.
Thanks to Brian Rooney and all the wonderful staff in Uddingston.
Thank you once again
I hope I never have to use a family lawyer again, but if I did I wouldn’t hesitate to use Rooney Family Law and can’t recommend them highly enough.
Wonderful!! Thank you Rooney Family.
Legal review: Brian Rooney, Managing Partner and Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Family Law. Last reviewed: July 2026.
