Cygnet Law questions the ethics of ‘Divorce Week’

Cygnet Law, a specialist family and mental health law practice, has questioned the ethics of the so-called ‘Divorce Week’.

The first few working days after the festive period have come to be known as ‘Divorce Week’ by some in the industry, who claim it is the busiest period of the year for family lawyers dealing with separation cases. With some research* going so far as to claim that up to 20percent of married people are currently considering a split.

John Robinson, a director and specialist divorce solicitor at Cygnet Law, believes that some legal firms are using the statistic to capitalise on what can be such a difficult time for families. He said: “Divorces are serious things, which can often be upsetting and problematic for those people involved and really should not be used as a marketing gimmick. Cygnet is very much a people and community-focussed business and we believe in treating our clients and their partners with respect, especially during difficult times such as divorce. We feel it is our duty to support our clients as they go through financially and emotionally-testing times.”

Cygnet’s own findings point towards a different divorce peak, one which occurs during September and October. Mr Robinson believes this flurry of separation happens as children return to school: “We have found that we have more divorce-related inquiries in the weeks following the end of the school summer holidays. I believe this may be because parents have spent too much time together and come to realise they are no longer right for one another.

“Another reason – which is actually highlighted in the same bit of research that the Divorce Week doomsayers have taken their information from – is that some parents are trying not to upset the family balance whilst the children are spending more time at home. In fact, the research says that one in four unhappy couples stay in the relationship longer than they wanted to for the sake of their children.”