Legal Expertise For Individuals & Families

MacRoberts has a solid reputation for dealing with a wide range of family law and private client matters.

Putting your family at the heart of our business

Advising individuals has always been at the heart of our business. Over the years, MacRoberts’ dedicated team of family lawyers has developed a solid reputation for dealing with a wide range of family law matters, including divorce, separation, child law, adoption and surrogacy, prenuptial and cohabitation agreements, civil partnerships and family mediation and collaboration.

With office locations in Glasgow and Edinburgh, we advise clients on a wide range of matters relating to their personal affairs, whether it is making a Will or appointing a Power of Attorney, setting up or managing a Trust, submitting Guardianship applications or dealing with the administration of executries.

Man having online meeting

Supporting you through uncertain times

We understand and appreciate the challenges placed on so many families as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In line with MacRoberts' agile working policy, our family lawyers are available to provide advice to you in a way that best suits your circumstances. In addition to meeting clients in our offices in Glasgow or Edinburgh, we can offer consultations by phone, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp or FaceTime, at a time suitable to you.

MacRoberts’ specialist family lawyers work to create a calm, pragmatic environment, helping you achieve the best outcome for your family. Mediation offers a solution to many families currently in the midst of separation or conflict. Our team has conducted a number of successful mediation sessions, which can be done remotely, during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, we are unable to take on legal aid cases.

A pragmatic and practical approach

Our team of family lawyers work collaboratively with clients to help them find the best possible outcome, reach early settlement and maintain positive relationships where possible. We take a pragmatic and practical approach, whilst always being mindful of delivering value for money.

Providing you with immediate reassurance

To provide you with immediate reassurance and to understand your current situation, we offer a 15-minute consultation at no cost. Please contact us to make a booking.

Our Key Services for
Individuals & Families

If you’re looking for expert legal advice from people you can trust, don’t just take our word for it – we’ll let our legal advice do the talking.

  • Adoption & Surrogacy

    Are you a step-parent who wishes to legalise the relationship with your partner’s child? Have you been working with an adoption agency and now been matched with a child for adoption? Are you looking to adopt a child from abroad? Whatever your situation, we are here to help you realise your dream of growing your family.

    Adoption & Surrogacy
  • Buying & Selling Property

    For first-time buyers, long-term homeowners looking to move, commercial business requiring real estate or investors seeking to advance a property portfolio, the process should always begin by seeking legal advice from an experienced property solicitor.

    Buying & Selling Property
  • Caring for the Elderly

    Caring for elderly relatives and helping them manage their own affairs is becoming increasingly important to families.

    Caring for the Elderly
  • Child Custody & Relocation

    Child residence (sometimes referred to as child custody) and contact (sometimes referred to as access) are often the most contentious issues a separated or divorcing couple must agree on.

    Child Custody & Relocation
  • Civil Partnerships

    Civil partnerships create a legal relationship between couples, similar to that of marriage and offering much of the same rights in terms of the law.

    Civil Partnerships
  • Cohabitation Agreements

    Contrary to popular belief, common law marriage does not exist in Scotland (although couples that move in together and don’t legally formalise their relationship through marriage or civil partnership are granted some rights if the relationship breaks down or one partner dies).

    Cohabitation Agreements
  • Divorce

    We are committed to guiding you through the divorce process with dignity to achieve the best possible outcome for you and your family.

    Divorce
  • Executries

    With considerable expertise in administration and issues relating to large and often complex estates, our team brings a level of knowledge and empathetic understanding to estate administration following a death where tensions can often arise.

    Executries
  • Health & Safety for Individuals

    As soon as a regulator contacts an individual in relation to a health and safety investigation or incident, the individual should immediately take legal advice. Our specialist team will defend clients from the initial point of contact with investigators through to any hearing in court.

  • Making a Will

    Don't leave it to the law to decide who gets your assets – making a Will means your possessions go to the people you want to have them.

    Making a Will
  • Mediation & Collaboration

    Mediation offers a lifeline to many families in the midst of separation and conflict. When relationships break down and you need to sort personal matters such as child custody, property or finances, matters can often turn confrontational very quickly.

    Mediation & Collaboration
  • Personal Insolvency

    Our team advises individuals facing personal insolvency or who have been made bankrupt, helping to protect their assets, such as the family home. We work closely with insolvency practitioners to recover assets for the benefit of creditors, including carrying out substantial investigations and tracing assets around the world.

  • Power of Attorney

    None of us want to think of a time when we are unable to make our own decisions, yet it’s important to put plans in place should this happen. A Power of Attorney allows a nominated individual to make decisions for you if and when you are no longer able or willing to do so yourself.

    Power of Attorney
  • Prenuptial Agreements

    Although nobody enters into a marriage intending to get divorced, many couples understandably prefer to prepare for the possibility of a relationship breakdown, and prenuptial agreements are fast becoming a normal part of preparing for marriage.

    Prenuptial Agreements
  • Separation

    If your relationship has hit troubled waters but you are not sure yet whether you want to divorce or dissolve a civil partnership then a separation agreement could be a good option for you.

    Separation
  • Trusts

    Ensure your assets are used for a certain purpose and properly managed on behalf of those whom you want to benefit from them.

    Trusts

Contact Us

Please contact a member of our team to find out how we can assist you.

Our Awards & Accreditations

  • In 2016, we were one of the first law firms in Scotland to become accredited Living Wage employers.

  • Shortlisted for Firm of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2022.

  • Winners of Corporate & Commercial Team of the Year and Family Law Team of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2020.

  • Our Real Estate team won the Property Team of the Year Award at the British Legal Awards in 2018.

  • Winner of SME of the Year at the Scottish SME Awards 2017, hosted by Scottish Business Insider.

  • Highly Commended for Commercial Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2016.

  • In 2019, MacRoberts achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification, a UK Government entry-level information security standard. 

  • MacRoberts holds the ISO 9001:2015 certification for Quality Management, the most widely recognised quality management system standard in the world.

  • Iso 14001 2015 Environmental Management

    MacRoberts holds the ISO14001:2015 certification for Environmental Management, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to environmental awareness.

  • MacRoberts holds the ISO27001:2013 certification for Information Security, an internationally recognised security gold standard.

  • Business continuity is a critical element of the Business Management System at MacRoberts and we hold full accreditation with the ISO 22301:2019.

  • MacRoberts is a member of IP Inclusive, a network of intellectual property professionals working to make our community more equal, diverse and inclusive.

  • We are active members of the PRIME Programme – an organisation that focuses on ensuring a career in law is open to talent from all economic and social backgrounds.

  • MacRoberts supports the Scottish Business Pledge, a values-led partnership between Government and business that is based on boosting productivity and competitiveness through fairness, equality and sustainable employment.

  • We are supporters of the Partnership for Change, a network of organisations and individuals who share a common ambition to improve diversity on boards and in senior leadership.

  • We are a member of the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI), a UK-based not-for-profit organisation which helps employers build and maintain diverse teams and inclusive cultures through our membership, training, and consultancy services.

  • MacRoberts was awarded enei's Silver TIDEMark for 2023. TIDE is enei's self-assessment evaluation and benchmarking tool which measures an organisation's overall approach and progress on diversity and inclusion.

  • MacRoberts is a Disability Confident employer, and are committed to disability equality across our firm.

  • MacRoberts fully supports flexible working practices and supports family-friendly working practices.

  • In 2022, MacRoberts received a Bronze Award in Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQI+ inclusivity in the workplace.

  • MacRoberts is a longstanding member of Scotland Food & Drink, the leading trade association for Scotland's food and drink industry.

  • MacRoberts is an Associate Member of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction trade association.