Silk Family Law has continued to act for individuals meeting the challenges of separation and divorce throughout the pandemic.

General information, support and guidance can be found on our family law blog.

All advice given is correct at time of posting, although please check latest government advice, which may have been reviewed since each post was published. You can contact us to discuss your situation and seek up-to-date, bespoke family law advice. Some links to relevant posts below:

Latest family law news and family court updates

Silk Family Law continues to follow latest government advice. On Monday 19 July 2021, England moved into stage 4 of the roadmap. Full details on the UK government website here.

Courts have remained open throughout the pandemic and those involved in the court/justice system have been exempt from lockdown rules, with travel to visit your lawyer classed as ‘permitted travel’. In order to prioritise the safety of both our staff and our clients, we have also offered remote options for both meetings and hearings throughout the pandemic. These options will continue to be available for clients who wish to use them, alongside face-to-face / in-person options.

You can contact us for legal advice as usual via phone, email or by one of the forms on our website. Existing clients can contact their lawyer with any queries.

Our full plan for safe working is detailed below and we ask that all visitors read this page in full and complete the health and safety form before attending our offices.

Silk Family Law offices

The Silk Family Law offices have remained open throughout the pandemic and we remain committed to ensuring a high level of safety for our employees and clients.

In line with guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19, Silk Family Law has undertaken a review to ensure compliance with the government’s “Working safely during COVID-19 in offices” publication.

For the time being, we will continue to offer clients a virtual meeting via Zoom or Microsoft Teams in the first instance, but we are happy to accommodate those who prefer to meet face-to-face.

We will also continue to facilitate remote hearings at our offices where it is necessary to be with a client in the same or adjoining rooms and cases where it is not possible to take instructions/advise remotely.

Within our offices, the following protocols will continue to be followed:

Socially distancing (2m or more where possible)
Wearing masks in communal areas
Regular use of sanitiser and wipes
All visitors will be required to book their meeting in advance, follow the advice below and complete the Visitor Health & Safety Declaration Form.

All our offices undergo regular cleaning.

Before attending any of our offices, we ask that all visitors please:

Read and follow the advice below AND
Complete the following online form:

Visitor Health & Safety Declaration Form

COVID19 Health & Safety requirements for all office-based meetings

For the safety of all our staff and visitors, all office visitors are required to read and agree to the following before attending an office-based meeting/court hearing:

Visitor Health & Safety Declaration – Prior to attending, all visitors should complete this online form to ensure we can manage the risk of transmission.
Social distancing – All meeting attendees should maintain a 2m separation where possible or 1m with face coverings being worn. Each of the large meeting rooms can accommodate up to three people whilst maintaining social distancing, the smaller rooms are limited to two people.
General COVID19 Health & Safety Information – All visitors should read the information detailed below in full before attending a meeting and will be asked to confirm they have done so in the online declaration.

General COVID19 Health & Safety information

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General information

The Courts are still working with electronic files and Silk is fully set up for electronic and remote working. We are limiting the passing of files and papers where possible, and using personal protection equipment (PPE) where appropriate. We politely ask visitors to do the same.

All staff and visitors are asked to follow guidelines around regularly hand washing. Antibacterial handwash and paper towels are available in all the bathrooms at Aske and Newcastle.

A separate company manages the Leeds office building, so please speak to your Silk contact regarding the procedures for Leeds meetings.

Before your meeting

Prior to each meeting, visitors are required to read the information on this website page in full, and complete the online declaration form.

The meeting rooms will have been cleaned and sanitised prior to your arrival.

What to expect when you arrive

At the entrance doors of our Newcastle and Aske offices, there will be a supply of hand sanitiser, antibacterial spray/wipes, gloves and disposable face masks available for visitor use. There will be a sign giving you guidance and inviting you to use the PPE prior to pushing the entrance keypad and entering the offices: please comply fully with these requests.

Staff have their own personal supplies of hand sanitiser, disposable face masks and gloves and will be using them where appropriate.

Upon arrival, please ring the bell; the door will open electronically and you will be asked to take a seat in the waiting area.

There will be a further supply of hand sanitiser in each waiting area and in each meeting room.

You will be met by a member of the Silk Family Law team, who will be wearing a face mask to greet you. If you prefer a hot drink, please let them know and we can arrange that for you.

After your meeting

If you use the pen supplied during the meeting, we request that you take it home with you along with any sheets you have used from the notepad.

If you or anyone you have been in contact with tests positive for COVID19 or displays symptoms in the 14 days following your meeting, please notify us IMMEDIATELY so we can take appropriate action to protect anyone who came into contact with you at our offices.

We thank you for your cooperation during this time, which will enable all our staff and visitors to remain safe and well.