Prenuptial Agreement Solicitors in London
Prenups drafted and reviewed to the safeguards the courts look for. Fixed fees and a free initial consultation with our London family solicitors.
Adam Bernard’s prenuptial agreement solicitors in London draft and review prenups that are built to stand up in court. A prenup is not automatically binding in England and Wales, but a properly prepared one is normally given decisive weight.
We act for couples and individuals across London from our offices in High Holborn and Upton Park. Our clients include business owners, people with property or inheritance to protect, international couples, and people marrying again who want to protect assets for their children. You can book a free initial consultation in person or by phone, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Our Prenuptial Agreement Services
We handle every stage of a prenup, from first advice to signing. Most clients come to us for one of four reasons:
- Drafting a new prenuptial agreement. A bespoke agreement covering your property, savings, pensions, business interests, inheritance and debts, written to meet the safeguards the courts apply.
- Reviewing a prenup your partner’s solicitor has drafted. Independent advice on what the agreement means for you, what is missing, and what to negotiate before you sign.
- Protecting a business or family wealth. Clauses that ring-fence a company, shareholding, family trust or expected inheritance, including how future growth is treated.
- International and cross-border prenups. For couples with assets, homes or family ties in more than one country, where the agreement needs to work alongside English law.
If you are already married, the same protection is available through a post-nuptial agreement. If you live together but aren’t marrying, see our cohabitation agreement solicitors.
Are Prenuptial Agreements Legally Binding in the UK?
No, not automatically. But a prenup that was freely entered into, with a full understanding of its effect, will be upheld by the court unless it would be unfair to hold the couple to it.
On divorce, the family court decides how assets are divided using its discretion under section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. A private agreement cannot remove that discretion. However, in Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42, the Supreme Court held that courts should give effect to a nuptial agreement that meets that test. That decision is still the leading authority.
In practice, a court is most likely to uphold a prenup where:
- Each person had independent legal advice from a separate solicitor
- There was full and frank financial disclosure by both sides
- It was signed well before the wedding, without pressure
- It still leaves both people’s reasonable needs, and any children’s needs, met
For a fuller explanation of how prenups work, read our guide to prenuptial agreements in the UK.
2026 Reform: Binding "Qualifying Nuptial Agreements"
The government has proposed making some prenups legally binding. These “qualifying nuptial agreements” are a proposal only and are not yet law.
The Ministry of Justice consultation, A fairer end to relationships, ran from 5 June to 14 August 2026. It builds on the Law Commission’s 2014 report, Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements (Law Com No 343). Under the proposals, a qualifying nuptial agreement would be enforceable as a contract, provided that:
- Made by deed: including a signed statement from both people that they understand it limits the court’s powers
- Timing: not made in the 28 days immediately before the wedding or civil partnership
- Financial disclosure: each person receives material information about the other’s finances
- Independent legal advice: each person is advised separately, and this cannot be waived
- Needs protected: it cannot be used to avoid meeting a spouse’s financial needs or children’s needs
What this means for you now: you don’t need to wait for reform. The current law already gives a well-drafted prenup substantial weight. We draft to the proposed safeguards as standard, so your agreement is as strong as possible today and better placed if the law changes.
Having a Prenup Reviewed Before You Sign
If your partner’s solicitor has sent you a prenup, you should have it reviewed by your own solicitor before you sign. Independent advice is one of the main things a court looks for, and it protects you.
Where to start:
- Don’t sign yet. Signing under time pressure, especially close to the wedding, is a common reason agreements are challenged.
- Send us the draft and your partner’s financial disclosure. We’ll tell you whether anything is missing.
- Get a plain-English review. We explain what you would and wouldn’t receive on divorce under the agreement, compared with what a court might order without one.
- Negotiate changes. We propose amendments to your partner’s solicitor where terms are unfair or unclear.
- Sign with a certificate of advice. We confirm in writing that you were independently advised, which strengthens the agreement for both of you.
We review prenups on a fixed fee. Call 0207 100 2525 or book a free consultation to send us your draft.
What a Prenuptial Agreement Can Cover
A prenup can cover any asset or debt either of you owns now or acquires later, as long as the agreement says so clearly. Typically it includes:
- Property owned before the marriage, in sole or joint names
- Savings, investments, shares and pensions
- Business assets, shareholdings and partnership interests
- Inheritances received or expected, and family trust interests
- Debts brought into the marriage
- Income and assets built up during the marriage, including business growth, but only if there is a specific clause for it
- How the family home and other joint assets will be treated
What a prenup can’t do: it cannot decide child arrangements or child maintenance, because these are based on the child’s best interests at the time (see child maintenance on GOV.UK). Lifestyle clauses aren’t enforceable, and the court can set aside terms that would leave a spouse unable to meet their needs.
How Our Prenuptial Agreement Process Works
Our process usually takes six to eight weeks from first meeting to signing, so we recommend contacting us at least three months before the wedding.
- Free consultation (week 1): we discuss your assets, goals and timescale and give you a fixed-fee quote.
- Financial disclosure (weeks 1–3): you both exchange details of assets, income, debts and pensions.
- Drafting (weeks 2–4): we prepare the agreement tailored to your circumstances.
- Independent advice and negotiation (weeks 4–6): your partner’s solicitor reviews it, and we negotiate any changes.
- Signing (weeks 6–8): the final agreement is signed, ideally as a deed, well over 28 days before the wedding.
Remember that you must also give notice of your marriage or civil partnership at least 29 days before the ceremony. Planning the prenup alongside that date avoids last-minute pressure.
Review clause: we usually include a review clause so the agreement is revisited after major events such as having children, a significant change in wealth, or after a set number of years. An out-of-date agreement is easier to challenge.
How Much Does a Prenuptial Agreement Cost?
We offer fixed fees for prenuptial agreements, so you know the cost before we start. The fee depends mainly on:
- How complex your assets are (for example, a business, trusts or overseas property)
- Whether we are drafting the agreement or reviewing one drafted by your partner’s solicitor
- How much negotiation is needed
We’ll give you a written quote after your free consultation. A properly prepared prenup usually costs far less than a contested financial dispute on divorce. See how the court decides finances without an agreement on GOV.UK: get the court to decide.
Why Choose Adam Bernard for Your Prenuptial Agreement?
- Specialist family solicitors in London, with offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London)
- Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor directory
- 15 years’ experience and more than 15,000 clients served across our practice areas
- Experienced with complex assets: business owners, high-net-worth individuals, international couples and second marriages
- Fixed fees and a free initial consultation, in person or by phone, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype
- One team for related matters, including divorce and finance and financial provision if circumstances change
Speak to our prenuptial agreement solicitors today on 0207 100 2525 or book a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a prenuptial agreement legally binding in England and Wales?
Not automatically. Since Radmacher v Granatino (2010), courts will uphold a prenup that was freely entered into with a full understanding of its effect, unless it would be unfair. Independent legal advice, full disclosure and signing well before the wedding make it much more likely to be upheld.
How much does a prenuptial agreement cost in London?
It depends on the complexity of your assets and whether we are drafting or reviewing the agreement. Adam Bernard offers fixed fees, and we provide a written quote after a free initial consultation.
I've been asked to sign a prenup. Where do I start?
Don't sign until your own solicitor has reviewed it. Send the draft and your partner's financial disclosure to an independent family solicitor, who will explain its effect, identify anything missing and negotiate changes before you sign.
Do both people need their own solicitor?
Yes. Separate, independent legal advice for each person is one of the main safeguards courts look for. Under the government's 2026 proposals for binding qualifying nuptial agreements, independent advice would be a requirement that cannot be waived.
How soon before the wedding should a prenup be signed?
At least 28 days before the wedding, and ideally several months before. The Law Commission recommended a 28-day cut-off, and the government's 2026 proposals use the same rule. We recommend starting at least three months before the wedding.
Can a prenup be overturned?
Yes, a court can depart from a prenup if it would be unfair to hold the couple to it. This is most likely where there was pressure to sign, incomplete disclosure, no independent advice, or where it would leave a spouse or child's needs unmet.
Can a prenup protect my business?
Yes. A prenup can ring-fence a business owned before the marriage and set out how any growth in its value during the marriage is treated. It needs specific, well-drafted clauses and a clear valuation at the time of signing.
What's the difference between a prenup and a postnup?
Only timing. A prenup is signed before the wedding and a post-nuptial agreement after it. The courts treat them in the same way.
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