During my latest trip to the Costa Del Sol – for the fantastic Costa Women Make it Happen Conference and The first Law Fair at Malaga University, I was concerned to learn what legal advice was commonly being offered to those expats sadly facing a breakdown in their personal relationship and where they or their partner/spouse have a connection to England. It became clear that many such couples are simply not being advised to speak to an international family lawyer in the country(ies) where they or their partner/spouse have any connection. Different countries offer very different outcomes on divorce and separation (about money and children issues). Applicable law (where other countries like Spain sometimes ask their judges to seek to ‘apply’ English law) does not produce the same outcome as a person would receive if they filed proceedings in the English courts where an English family judge dealt with the matter. For many expats in European countries they are not even advised applicable law might apply to their case and therefore end up just dealing with matters through the local legal system (for example the Spanish legal system which is not as generous as the English family legal system). I am very concerned that for many people with an English connection this could prove really unjust because their outcomes in the rest of EU including Spain might well be very much less than those to which they are entitled. If you or any of your friends/colleagues need any advice about English family law including whether they or their spouse can bring proceedings in England rather than in Spain, please contact me at lucy.greenwood@iflg.uk.com www.iflg.uk.com. This information also comes with a very serious warning that the partner/spouse who issues any divorce/separation proceedings in an EU country (except Norway) first in time, determines where the case should take place. So it is very important to get advice from specialist family lawyers in any countries where you might have a connection before you even mention separation or divorce to your other half! I can help you find such family lawyers worldwide too.