Eight family law firms with an office in Essex, in Colchester, Basildon, Chelmsford and four other towns. 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.
Nobody has paid to appear on this page. We list firms from official registers and their own websites, and we don't rate or rank them. How we make money. We last checked these listings on 20 October 2026.
Colchester, Essex
Family law firm in Colchester whose family team includes a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 559881
Colchester, Essex (also Clacton-on-Sea)
Law firm in Colchester with 2 Resolution members in its family team, including a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 8013314
Basildon, Essex (also Southend-on-Sea)
Law firm in Basildon with 2 Resolution members in its family team, including 2 Resolution accredited specialists. Advises on divorce, finances and children, and some of its family lawyers accept legal aid.
Regulated by the SRA, number 667263
Chelmsford, Essex
Family law firm in Chelmsford whose family team includes a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 808015
Maldon, Essex (also Colchester)
Family law firm in Maldon with 4 Resolution members in its family team, including 2 Resolution accredited specialists. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 805863
Southend-on-Sea
Law firm in Southend-on-Sea with 2 Resolution members in its family team, including a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children, and some of its family lawyers accept legal aid.
Regulated by the SRA, number 657386
Waltham Abbey, Essex
Family law firm in Waltham Abbey with 3 Resolution members in its family team. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 808897
Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea (and 4 other offices)
Law firm in Westcliff-on-Sea with 2 Resolution members in its family team, including a Resolution accredited specialist. Advises on divorce, finances and children.
Regulated by the SRA, number 519593
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 Essex, including Southend, 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 Essex:
Children cases between parents took a median of 31.7 weeks in the Essex and Suffolk area in April to June 2026, against 24.7 weeks across England and Wales.
| Area | Median | Within 26 weeks | Cases finished |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex and Suffolk area | 31.7 weeks | 40% | 349 |
| 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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