New Family Law department at Tyler Hoffman Solicitors
Akwal Ryatt has been practicing Family Law for over 26 years, and has joined Tyler Hoffman Solicitors, who have offices in Wakefield and Halifax. Her passion? Helping people solve their relationship problems.
Akwal says: “I knew early on in my education that I wanted to study law. My father was instrumental in encouraging me to pursue my chosen career path, and I have not wavered since.
“My interest and passion has always been in child development, family relationships and communications.
“Committed to my clients, I deal with their cases with empathy, and the time that is needed, to produce the result that they are looking for.”
With the Covid 19 pandemic, family relationships have become even more challenging. People have been forced to spend extended periods of time together putting a strain on already fragile family members.
In this current environment domestic violence has been rife as one or other of the parties concerned have had nowhere else to go and been forced into staying with the abuser.
“Domestic abuse is an all-too-common feature of family law cases,” says Akwal.
“In 2019/2020 there were 55,253 private law application under the Children Act 1989. It is thought that at least 40% of private law cases now involve allegations of domestic abuse.
“This is devastating for the party that is desperate to see their children but have serious allegations hanging over their head. These figures do not include applications under the Family Law Act 1996, in which the applicant seeks protection from domestic abuse.”
And Domestic Abuse has evolved over the past decades, explains Akwal.
“In the 1970s the emphasis was very much on actual bodily harm. It is now, however understood that the ambit of domestic abuse can be far wider reaching than just physical instances of violence and that it can also take the form of coercive and controlling behaviour.”
Tyler Hoffman Solicitors deal with all areas of family law, including:
• Divorce
• Finances
• Child contact
• Separation agreements
• Co-habitation agreements
• Pre- & post- nuptial agreements
