Six family law firms with an office in Dorset, in Bournemouth, Wimborne and Christchurch. Each is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and its SRA number is on its profile so you can check it on the SRA register.
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Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (and 6 other offices)
Law firm in Bournemouth with 9 Resolution members in its family team, including 6 Resolution accredited specialists. Advises on divorce and finances, and some of its family lawyers accept legal aid.
Regulated by the SRA, number 512098
Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (also London and Southampton)
Law firm in Bournemouth with 5 Resolution members in its family team, including a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 463177
Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (and 4 other offices)
Law firm in Bournemouth with 8 Resolution members in its family team, including 2 Resolution accredited specialists. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 508254
Wimborne, Dorset (also Broadstone, Christchurch and Ferndown)
Law firm in Wimborne with 2 Resolution members in its family team, including 2 Resolution accredited specialists. Advises on divorce.
Regulated by the SRA, number 57075
Wimborne, Dorset (also Ferndown)
Law firm in Wimborne whose family team includes a member of Resolution. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 596731
Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (also Ringwood and Wimborne)
Law firm in Christchurch with 5 Resolution members in its family team, including a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce.
Regulated by the SRA, number 442849
The courts publish guideline hourly rates, which judges use when deciding what legal costs are reasonable. They're a fair guide to what firms charge locally. All of Dorset, including Bournemouth and Poole, is in National band 1.
| Who does the work | National 1 |
|---|---|
| Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years' experience | £295 |
| Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years' experience | £247 |
| Other solicitors and legal executives | £201 |
| Trainee solicitors and paralegals | £142 |
Hourly rates, excluding VAT. Source: Solicitors' guideline hourly rates, GOV.UK, in effect from 1 January 2026.
Many firms offer a fixed fee for an undefended divorce or for drafting a consent order, so ask for a written quote before you start. The court fee for a divorce is the same everywhere. Our guide to how much a divorce costs sets out the total by route, and the divorce cost calculator gives a rough estimate for your situation.
Legal aid for family cases is limited and means-tested: it's mainly available where there's evidence of domestic abuse or a risk to a child, and for mediation. Check on GOV.UK whether you could get it.
New divorce applications are dealt with centrally online, so most people only come to a local court for a hearing about children or money. These are the family courts in Dorset:
Children cases between parents took a median of 16.2 weeks in the Bournemouth and Dorset area in April to June 2026, against 24.7 weeks across England and Wales.
| Area | Median | Within 26 weeks | Cases finished |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth and Dorset area | 16.2 weeks | 75% | 158 |
| England and Wales | 24.7 weeks | 52% | 12,005 |
Private law children cases finished in April to June 2026, by Designated Family Judge area. Source: Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2026. The Ministry of Justice doesn't publish divorce waiting times by area. See our family court waiting times tracker.
Not sure you need one? Our guide on whether you need a solicitor for your divorce explains when people manage without.
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