When a marriage falls apart, it is a depressing time. Many of the people who walk into our offices are feeling at their lowest ebb. They are frightened, anxious, lonely and emotionally battered.

The grief and misery they feel is understandable: divorce is never an easy option, however unhappy a relationship has become.

For some people, however, the decision to end the marriage is as far as they can go: they find themselves crippled with the enormity of it all and riddled with self-doubt. Women especially suffer from low self-esteem which can hamper their ability to begin the divorce process.

Yet the process is necessary in order to move forward. Otherwise, resolve can waver and apathy set in. And life simply stands still.

Divorce can seem daunting, but that’s where a dedicated matrimonial lawyer comes in. It is our job to guide clients through the legal process, but also to offer emotional support and understanding. So however alone someone might feel, they are never on their own.

Niche practices like our firm, Benussi & Co, are there to advise not only on the legal and financial issues, but also to provide or recommend services such as counselling and life-coaching.

In other words, our entire focus is helping people overcome their fear and depression so that they can move on and begin a new chapter in their lives.

Clients who visit our offices in Birmingham see, as they walk from our meeting rooms to the door, a picture on the wall showing a sunlit scene – blue sky, white sand, turquoise sea and palm trees. It’s no coincidence the picture is there: what it says is that even if you first come to see us weighted down under a dark cloud of despair, by the time you leave for the last time you will have come to understand that however black the clouds have been, the sun does eventually shine again –sometimes more brilliant than before.