Family law is the only work we do. Our solicitors bring more than 150 years of combined family law experience, and most hold one or more Law Society of Scotland specialist accreditations in family or child law.
We act across the full range of family work, from straightforward undefended divorce to complex financial provision involving businesses, farms, trusts and pensions, including cases with an international or cross-border element.
Legal fees come across as something of a dark art. If you have looked around, we are reasonably confident you found one of two things: either no information on fees at all, or a mind-boggling array of units, charges per sheet, charges per page, and rates nobody explains.
We take a different view. This page sets out exactly what we charge, how we charge it, and what a case is likely to cost — before you commit to anything.
Send us a message
Legal review: Brian Rooney, Managing Partner and Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Family Law. Last reviewed: 20th July 2026.
Family Law Fees Scotland — Transparent Pricing in 3-Minute Billing Units
Why Pay for Time You Do Not Use?
Where hourly rates apply, we bill in precise 3-minute increments rather than the 6-minute or 10-minute units in common use across the profession.
What the unit size means in practice: a 2-minute telephone call is charged with us as one 3-minute unit. Under 10-minute-unit billing, the same call is charged as ten minutes — five times the time you actually used. The arithmetic below shows how that compounds over a case.
How Family Law Firms Charge, and How We Do
Approaches to fees vary across the profession. Some firms bill in six-minute units and some in ten-minute units, some publish their charges online although many do not, and some offer fixed-fee initial consultations. There is no single standard, which is exactly why it is worth understanding how your own firm charges before you instruct them.
Our approach is straightforward:
- We bill in three-minute units, so short items of work are rounded up by less.
- Our rates are published on this page, inclusive of VAT.
- Billing is weekly and itemised, so you always know where you stand.
- Your quote includes VAT, with no surprises at the end.
- You deal with a dedicated solicitor throughout.
- We offer a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes.
Our Current Hourly Rates
| Legal Professional | Hourly Rate (exc. VAT) | Hourly Rate (inc. VAT) | Per 3-Min Unit (inc. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managing Partner Law Society Accredited Specialist in Family Law |
£400 | £480 | £24.00 |
| Head of Litigation Experienced litigation and complex financial provision work |
£350 | £420 | £21.00 |
| Senior Associate (15+ years qualified) | £350 | £420 | £21.00 |
| Senior Associate | £300 | £360 | £18.00 |
| Associate | £275 | £330 | £16.50 |
Transcripts, Dictation and Attendance Notes
We routinely prepare an attendance note (a written record) of telephone calls, video calls, meetings and conferences. This may be produced by typing, dictation, or transcription software.
Time spent on the call or meeting itself is chargeable professional time and is recorded in our usual 3-minute units. In addition, time spent producing the attendance note or transcript is also chargeable. This includes the time required to review, check, edit and finalise the written record, regardless of whether the note is created by typing, dictation, or automated transcription.
For clarity, attendance notes and transcripts are charged based on the length of the final written record, calculated by reference to an average reading and review rate of approximately 50 words per minute, with time recorded in 3-minute units, rounded up to the next full unit — so 4 minutes of review time is recorded as 6 minutes, and 7 or 8 minutes is recorded as 9.
Example: If a call lasts 10 minutes, that call time is chargeable. If the resulting attendance note or transcript is 200 words in length, this equates to approximately 4 minutes of review time, recorded as 6 minutes (two 3-minute units), separately from the call itself.
The Difference Unit Size Makes — the Arithmetic
It is not just about hourly rates — it is about how they are applied. The examples below use a single illustrative rate of £300 per hour including VAT (£5 per minute) so the only variable is the billing unit:
- Quick email check (2 minutes of actual work): one 3-minute unit with us (£15); billed as 6 minutes under 6-minute units (£30); billed as 10 minutes under 10-minute units (£50)
- Brief phone call (4 minutes): two 3-minute units with us (£30); 6 minutes under 6-minute units (£30); 10 minutes under 10-minute units (£50)
- Document review (22 minutes): 24 minutes with us (£120); 24 minutes under 6-minute units (£120); 30 minutes under 10-minute units (£150)
The smaller the task, the more the unit size matters — and family cases are full of small tasks.
Minutes of Agreement / Separation Agreements
Preparation of the First Draft
Where parties have reached agreement in principle and require us to prepare a binding Minute of Agreement / Separation Agreement, the cost of preparing and issuing the first draft depends on the length and detail of the document your circumstances require. A Minute of Agreement regulates your legal and financial rights, and its preparation involves structuring a bespoke legal document, ensuring it properly reflects what has been agreed, and managing the risk of future challenge — it is never simply a matter of completing a template.
Our minimum charge for preparing an agreement of this kind, including a Minute of Agreement, is £1,500 plus VAT (£1,800 including VAT). We do not charge below that minimum, even for a straightforward agreement. Most agreements fall within the range of £2,000 to £4,000 plus VAT (£2,400 to £4,800 including VAT), depending on the length and detail involved.
- A straightforward agreement will sit at or close to the minimum charge
- An agreement dealing with matters such as schedules of debt, the structured division of sale proceeds, business interests, pension sharing or detailed arrangements for children will produce a longer and more detailed document, and will sit in the middle or towards the upper end of the range
When you instruct us, we will give you an indication of where your agreement is likely to sit within the range, and we will ask for a payment to account before drafting begins, which is applied towards the drafting work.
If, once the document has been prepared, the charge for the first draft will materially exceed the indication you have been given, we will tell you the revised figure and the reason for it before the draft is issued, and confirm that you wish us to proceed. You will not receive an invoice for the drafting stage at a figure you have not been given in advance.
Once the first draft has been issued, any further work required (including considering your comments, negotiations, amendments, additional drafts, and preparation of the final agreed version for signature, implementation and registration) is charged at the solicitor’s normal hourly rate, using our 3-minute billing units, and we will keep you updated on costs as that work proceeds.
How Billing Units Change What You Pay
A Month of Typical Case Activity — Same Rate, Different Units
The illustration below applies a single rate of £300 per hour including VAT to the same month of work, billed in 6-minute units and in our 3-minute units. The only difference is the rounding:
| Activity | Actual Time | Billed in 6-Minute Units | Billed in Our 3-Minute Units | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 brief emails (2 mins each) | 30 mins | 90 mins — £450 | 45 mins — £225 | £225 |
| 5 phone calls (7 mins each) | 35 mins | 60 mins — £300 | 45 mins — £225 | £75 |
| 2 meetings (45 mins each) | 90 mins | 90 mins — £450 | 90 mins — £450 | £0 |
| Document drafting | 120 mins | 120 mins — £600 | 120 mins — £600 | £0 |
| Monthly Total | 275 mins | £1,800 | £1,500 | £300 |
The long tasks cost the same under either system. It is the short, frequent tasks — the emails, calls and updates that make up so much of a family case — where the unit size does its work.
Typical Case Costs
Many firms will not give you a straight answer on likely overall costs. Here are realistic ranges based on our recent experience:
| Type of Matter | Simple | Moderate Complexity | Complex/Contested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce (No Children) | £1,500–£3,000 | £3,000–£6,000 | £6,000–£15,000 |
| Divorce (With Children) | £2,500–£4,000 | £4,000–£8,000 | £8,000–£20,000 |
| Financial Provision Only | £2,000–£3,500 | £3,500–£7,000 | £7,000–£25,000 |
| Child Arrangements | £1,500–£3,000 | £3,000–£6,000 | £6,000–£15,000 |
| Cohabitation Disputes | £2,000–£4,000 | £4,000–£8,000 | £8,000–£20,000 |
Fixed Fee Services
We offer all-in fixed fees for the following matters:
Please note: all other family law matters are charged at our standard hourly rates using 3-minute billing units. This ensures you receive fair, transparent pricing for the actual work undertaken on your case.
Flexible Payment Solutions
We understand family law matters often arise at financially difficult times. We offer flexible payment arrangements:
Pay As You Go
- Weekly billing keeps you in control
- Stop or pause anytime
- No large upfront retainer
Standing Order
- Fixed monthly payments
- Spread costs over time
- Budget with certainty
Payment on Account
- Maintain a credit balance
- Top up as needed
- Weekly statements show your balance
Payment note: deferred payment may be available for financial recovery cases only (settlements, property division). Child arrangement matters require payment on account or regular payments. We do not offer Legal Aid, but payment plans can be discussed where needed — speak to us about what would work for your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you bill in 3-minute units?
Because we think it is the fairest way to charge for legal work. A two-minute telephone call is charged as a single three-minute unit — not rounded up to a six-minute block as is common elsewhere. We have invested in the systems and processes needed to record and bill time precisely.
How do I know you will not just take longer to do tasks?
We are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland and our billing is transparent. Our weekly statements show what has been done and the time recorded. If you ever have a query, we will explain the entry and the work undertaken.
What about your initial consultation?
We offer a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes to understand your situation and explain how we can help. Any work beyond that is charged at our standard rates.
Ready to Discuss Your Family Law Matter?
Every new enquiry starts with a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes. We will explain how our 3-minute billing works and outline the next steps. We have offices and consultation locations across central Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Hamilton, Livingston, Falkirk, Stirling and East Kilbride.
Rooney Family Law — specialist family lawyers billing in 3-minute units
Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialists in Family Law
Offices and consultation locations across central Scotland
Full details of how we charge for Minutes of Agreement, including what is and is not included, are in our Minute of Agreement and separation agreement guide.
The Same Fixed Fees at Every Location
The fees on this page apply wherever you choose to meet us. We have offices and consultation locations across central Scotland, all by appointment, and our solicitors travel to whichever location suits you best.
- Family lawyers in Hamilton
- Family lawyers in Glasgow
- Family lawyers in Glasgow Southside
- Family lawyers in Edinburgh
- Family lawyers in Livingston
- Family lawyers in Falkirk
- Family lawyers in Stirling
- Family lawyers in East Kilbride
What Our Clients Say
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.
These fees apply to divorce work wherever we act for you. See our divorce solicitors page for how a case runs, or your nearest office for local detail.
Get a Clear Answer on Cost
Tell us what you are dealing with and we will tell you what it is likely to cost, on the record, before you commit to anything. Free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes.
