What can you do for me?
Breaking up with your partner can be one of the most stressful and emotional experiences you can go through. I have over 16 years of experience working with divorcing and separating clients in Norwich, the surrounding area and further afield.
I can give you legal advice and practical support to protect your interests and help you through the process. I will discuss all of the options and the different approaches to sorting out the consequences of the breakdown of your relationship, whether it be dealing with the finances (including the most complex situations involving farms, businesses, pensions, trusts etc) or advising on the arrangements for the children and the importance of co-parenting wherever possible.
On a different note, I also have considerable expertise in dealing with marital agreements and cohabitation disputes.
What makes you different from other divorce lawyers?
I am recognised as one of the leading family law specialists in Norwich and Norfolk, with a reputation which goes beyond the locality as some of my work is London based. I believe in consent and conciliation and that the best outcomes for separating couples are those that are agreed between them.
I always try my best to encourage negotiated settlements. However, some cases unfortunately do have to be dealt with through the courts, and I am known for my robust but fair and professional approach in those circumstances.
I am trained as a collaborative lawyer and am a member of the Norfolk Collaborative Law Group. I am also a committed member of Resolution, having previously sat on its national committee for skills and education. Resolution is an association of family lawyers with a code of practice based on conciliation wherever possible.
I believe that most clients wish to reach a negotiated settlement that is fair to both sides. I know that you need to be listened to in how your case is approached. Some cases can be resolved through negotiation, mediation or collaborative law; others need the involvement of the court. As far as I am concerned, my role is to secure an effective outcome for my client.
In addition to having over 16 years of experience specialising in family and divorce law, I also head up the National Private Client Services Group at Mills & Reeve. This means that I have an excellent overview of how the law affects you as an individual.
I work closely with the other specialist lawyers in our tax, trusts, pensions, agriculture and commercial law teams to ensure you get the best all round advice for you and your business.
What do your clients say about you?
It is really rewarding to get positive feedback from my clients and to know that I have been able to help and support them at such a difficult time.
My team is ranked top for family and divorce law in both of the leading guides to the legal profession in the UK: Chambers and Legal 500. These results are based on extensive interviews with thousands of lawyers and their clients across the UK. They include the following quotations from our clients:
Legal 500 states that our team is “easily the leading family practice in the area” and, describing me, they say: “always one step ahead, Nick Stone puts clients at ease".
Chambers notes that clients observe “patience is one of [my] greatest assets” and that my "sense of fair play, resilience, tenacity and sense of humour also come to the fore”.
What involvement do you have in the local Norwich community?
I am regularly invited by the local Resolution Committee to lecture to other family law professionals on areas of law and practice. I have also lectured for the local Society of Trust and Estate Planners (STEP).
Being head of the National Private Client Services Group, I am a member of the firm’s Executive Board.
What else should I know about you?
I was pleased to be named as a "leading lawyer" in the City Wealth Leaders List in 2010 and 2011.
A large part of my practice involves landed estates and farm businesses and I’ve drawn on that experience in co-authoring the book Divorce and the Farm. I have co-written Insolvency and Marriage Breakdown and had articles published in national journals, including Private Client Business.