For Individuals & Families Civil Partnerships

If you’re looking to register a civil partnership, enter into a pre-civil partnership agreement or dissolve a civil partnership, MacRoberts’ award-winning team can assist you.

Registering a civil partnership

Civil partnerships create a legal relationship between same-sex and mixed-sex couples, similar to that of marriage and offering many of the same legal rights.

To register a civil partnership, the couple must give notice to their local registrar and, once registered they will then be entitled to certain legal rights relating to tax, pensions, employment, child maintenance, parental responsibility, protection from domestic abuse and immigration.

Pre-civil partnership agreement

With many legal similarities to marriage, you may wish to create a pre-civil partnership agreement (similar to a pre-nuptial agreement), which helps to set out what each person is entitled to should the relationship break down.

If you think this would benefit you, MacRoberts can explain how these agreements work, prepare and draft the agreement or revise an agreement that has already been drafted, protect your assets to help avoid lengthy court battles in the event that you separate, and help you understand the potential impact on your legal rights if one of you lives or spends substantial time in another country during your marriage.

Guidance on international civil partnerships

Should you decide to move country, it is important to remember that your civil partnership may not afford you the same rights as it does in Scotland.

Some countries accept civil partnerships, others don’t, and our experienced team can guide you on this.

Dissolving your civil partnership

Our expert family lawyers can support you in the unfortunate event that you need to dissolve your civil partnership. Resolving financial disputes in a civil partnership works in much the same way as a marriage; civil partners can claim for ongoing financial support, capital sums and pension sharing orders just like divorcing couples can.

All financial matters must be settled before the partnership can be dissolved, and we can guide you through this process.

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The lawyers dealing with my case have been wonderful – very knowledgeable as well as kind and supportive.

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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.

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  • In 2022, MacRoberts was awarded enei's Silver TIDEMark. TIDE is enei's self-assessment evaluation and benchmarking tool which measures an organisation's overall approach and progress on diversity and inclusion.

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

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