Information

An English judge once said, that divorce reminded him of a toasted cheese sandwich: 2 distinct entities joined by a sticky centre, and almost impossible to separate!

Divorce, custody, maintenance, abuse, adoption, access. These are critical areas of family law. They require specialist insight, experienced mediation and the right legal expertise and resources. Such is the commitment of Charles Mendelow Attorneys. We are an eminently qualified firm. In fact, Charles Mendelow has over 20 years of experience in family law.

While we seek to bring cases to a sensible resolution, we are committed to maintaining the integrity of the family, with children being the number one priority. We seek to provide an environment where people may find human solutions to even the thorniest of family issues. Such solutions must be affordable, fair and pragmatic and allow all parties to retain their dignity and deal with each other in the future.

Areas of practice in Family Law:

Divorce negotiations, litigation and family mediation. Custody and access disputes, maintenance, family violence interdicts. Adoptions, rights of parties relating to children born out wedlock. Children's court proceedings, child abduction cases both nationally and internationally, cohabitation and antenuptial contracts, wills and estate planning.

Multi-disciplinary resources. Along with skilled personnel, computerised administration, communication and research facilities keeping us abreast of the latest developments in family law, our resources and service also include:

Mediation - We are recognised and accredited by the South African Association of Mediators, and are capable of actively managing the resolution of even the most difficult cases. By bringing our balanced judgement and considerable experience to bear, we are able to save parties from excessive costs, lengthy litigation and unnecessary trauma.

Social and psychological support - We understand the need for parties to have access to these essential support professionals and maintain close association with all professionals involved in the case. This ensures that clients feel there is a safe, contained environment from which they can reach informed and guided decisions.

Financial - This starts with our policy of clear, up-front billing and appraising the client of likely outcomes at each stage, so that they know exactly where they stand. This extends to guidance regarding financial expectations, and referral to expert investment advice where appropriate.

Children - In addition to our commitment to maintaining the integrity of the family, we place the needs and well-being of children as an absolute priority. In particular, we have pioneered work in the fields of custody, maintenance and access where this relates to the rights of both the father and the mother, and can offer you invaluable advice in cases where these considerations are crucial.