The successful applicant’s duties will include:

Posting client and office transactions

Client / office transfers and postings

Bank reconciliations and month end closures

Month and quarter end reports

Assisting with yearly audits

Sole ownership of posting all supplier invoices and credit notes

Setting up purchase ledger payment runs

Journals

Banking – input of CHAPs/ BACs payments

Processing bills

Liaising with counsel and experts regarding disbursements

Liaising with partners, fee earners and support staff

Aged debt management

VAT returns

Generating management reports for partner meetings

Dealing with petty cash including monthly reconciliation

Recording and paying out expenses

Reporting to senior partners

Ensuring the firm remains compliant with regulatory requirements

Monitoring the centralised accounts inbox and delegating work to my team

Team management, including recruitment and appraisals, delegation, and workload management along with coaching, encouragement, and development

Any other ad hoc duties

Jones Nickolds Solicitors are seeking a part time, experienced Billing clerk to join their team.

The successful applicant’s duties will include:

Processing bills;

Liaising with counsel and experts regarding disbursements;

Liaising with partners, fee earners and support staff.

For the majority of separating couples, divorce will be the natural next step in the process, but there are a number of reasons why some may feel differently.  Whilst an annulment can only be obtained in accordance with the statutory criteria, for those who have been married less than one year or have a strong religious or cultural objection to divorce, an alternative option may be an application for judicial separation.  Judicial separation does not ‘replace’ divorce, nor is it a prerequisite for divorce but a different process entirely.  It will not be appropriate for all couples, not least of all those looking for a ‘clean break’ but for some it just may be the most viable option.

The recently published High Court judgment of GO v YA [2024] EWFC 411, in which Jones Nickolds represented the wife, centred around the net asset valuation of a business set up by the husband which sold works of art.

Both the husband and wife were shareholders in the business. Much of the focus of the proceedings concerned how to determine the value of the underlying artwork and the appropriate methodology for realising the value of the artwork, to ensure the parties would receive an equal share net of tax and bearing in mind the husband’s intention to continue trading.

On the 50th anniversary of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (“MCA 1973”), the government asked the Law Commission to review whether the current law is working effectively and delivering fair and consistent outcomes for divorcing couples. The Law Commission scoping report was published on 18 December 2024. 

We are delighted to have once again been awarded the highest ranking in the Legal 500 guide to the best family departments in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. We are especially proud to have also received their ‘Client Satisfaction’ award. 

We are looking for a newly qualified/one year PQE solicitor to work in our busy team.  We are a Tier 1 Legal 500 / Chambers & Partners family law firm and work on a range of financial cases from modest to high net worth.  We also have a significant amount of private children work.

There are two overarching reasons why a couple might enter into a pre-nuptial agreement; (i) to protect existing or future assets; and/or (ii) to try to regulate at the time of the marriage how financial resources should be divided in the unfortunate event that the marriage breaks down.

On 7th December 2023 The Family Justice Council held its 16th annual debate. The full recording can be found here. The question was whether or not the law should be reformed so that unmarried couples (or ‘cohabitants’) have the same rights as married couples. It was chaired by Sir Andrew MacFarlane, President of the Family Division.

Financial constraints can often stand in the way of clients seeking legal representation, especially in light of the recent high inflation and monthly interest rate increases in the UK. Traditional options such as litigation loans, commonly used to finance legal services, may not always be accessible, especially for clients who do not have sufficient assets in their own name to use as collateral. In such circumstances, Legal Service Payment Orders (“LSPOs”) can provide a viable alternative for those who might otherwise struggle to afford legal representation.

The Labour Party announced at their party conference that, should they be elected, they would seek to reform the law for cohabiting couples. Cohabiting couples are unmarried couples living together.

According to Resolution there are currently more than 3.6 million cohabiting couples in the UK, making up 18% of the families.

There is a common misconception around the term “common law marriage”. There is no such thing as a common law marriage, and unmarried couples have limited protection when their relationship ends, or when their partner passes away without a Will in place.

We are delighted to have once again been awarded the highest ranking in the Legal 500 guide to the best family teams in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

The researchers noted the firm’s ‘market leading’ and ‘organised and efficient’ approach dealing with the full spectrum of family law issues including divorce, financial remedy and private children matters.

It is common for parties to a divorce to own property, be it the family home, investment properties and/or a holiday home.  As part of an overall resolution (whether agreed between the parties or ordered by the court) it is often the case that a property is to be sold.

But can a property be sold at an interim stage, before a final settlement has been reached?  The answer is that it depends on the circumstances.

The start of the new school year in September often brings new clients to our door seeking advice on how to progress a divorce.  Here are our ‘top tips’ on how to adopt a constructive approach and keep your legal costs at a manageable level:

One of the remedies available to individuals suffering domestic violence is to apply for a protective injunction from the court under the Family Law Act 1996, taking the form of “non-molestation” and “occupation” orders. Applications can be made “on notice” (i.e. after informing the person you are seeking the order against) or “without notice”(i.e. without telling the person you are seeking the order against).

The family law world has recently taken stock of a new judgment of Mr Justice Mostyn, titled James v Seymour [2023] EWHC 844 (Fam). The decision concerns an appeal of the judgment of Her Honour Judge Vincent, who herself heard a variation application brought by Ms James in respect of the historic award of spousal and child maintenance.

In our work as family law solicitors, we are finding that Parenting Plans are being used more and more so that separating parents can set out in writing the agreement they have reached about how their children’s time will be divided between their respective homes.

We are delighted to announce that James Patrick will become a partner with effect from 1st August 2023.

James joined Jones Nickolds in January 2019 and has built a varied caseload advising clients on all issues arising from the breakdown of a marriage or a cohabiting relationship. He works with clients to find pragmatic solutions to issues concerning finances and children. James also has extensive experience in preparing and advising on pre and post nuptial agreements.

If you are looking to start divorce or dissolution proceedings in England and Wales then you should check whether the family courts have jurisdiction to issue these proceedings. If the Court does not have jurisdiction, it cannot hear your case and cannot make orders in relation to your marriage or civil partnership.

Jones Nickolds is a Tier 1 Legal 500 / Chambers & Partners boutique family law firm based in Beckenham and Chislehurst.

We currently have a vacancy for a junior solicitor with 1 - 4 years of post qualification experience.

To apply please email a covering letter and CV to Sharon.Eagle@jonesnickolds.co.uk