The first working Monday of the year is widely referred to as “divorce day”  – a date that traditionally prompts widespread media commentary on relationship breakdown and divorce trends.

Rather than simply reinforcing the annual narrative, my family law client decided to challenge the myth. The team reviewed its own divorce and separation enquiry data from the previous two years to see whether January really was the busiest period.

The analysis revealed a different picture. The highest volumes of enquiries were recorded in April and September 2025, followed by February and March 2024, thereby undermining the assumption that post-Christmas enquiries dominate.

Using this insight, I drafted a press release highlighting the findings which was issued between Christmas and New Year, a time when I knew journalists would be on the look-out for topical angles and stories to hook to “divorce day.”

Importantly, the exercise required no external research spend. The team estimated that compiling the data took no more than five minutes, demonstrating how firms can generate authoritative media coverage using information they already hold.

Results

The press release secured coverage across seven media outlets, including The Times and leading financial and professional adviser titles reaching both potential clients and referrers, a key target audience.