Is there really any point to marriage anymore? ============================================== ![Is there really any point to marriage anymore?](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/96b317780b4be83e257d082940f4e6cf.jpeg)Vardags' director Catherine Thomas spoke to [The Daily Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10798435/Divorce-law-overhaul-Is-there-really-any-point-to-marriage-anymore.html) as a columnist questioned the role of marriage in the modern world. Entering a discussion about the rights of cohabitees, Catherine argued against ascribing automatic entitlements to couples who live together. "*I don't necessarily agree that cohabitation should be amended so severely to make it a halfway house between where we are and marriage*," she said. "*People say cohabitation needs protection. I think that's quite paternalistic - if you want the all legal protections marriage offers, get married*." Drawing from her own life, and those of her clients, she said "*Plenty of people live together because they make an active decision not to get married*". She went on to advocate for couples to have a cohabitation agreement "*That just clarifies the position of who owns what and it clarifies what everyone earns so you have got a proper recording to avoid the litigation*," she said. "*I think they're a very good idea. That might be a better way to do it if people were encouraged to have agreements*." Comparing the difference between cohabitation and marriage, she concluded "*I'm a believer in personal autonomy, but if there's someone who earns less than their partner and wants greater financial protection, they should absolutely marry*." "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Family Law news -------------------- [What happens to marital assets if they are subject to criminal proceedings?](https://vardags.com/family-law/marital-assets-subject-criminal-proceedings "What happens to marital assets if they are subject to criminal proceedings?") [Family Law and Bankers' Bonuses](https://vardags.com/posts/family-law-bankers-bonuses "Family Law and Bankers' Bonuses") [Is there really any point to marriage anymore?](https://vardags.com/posts/any-point-to-marriage "Is there really any point to marriage anymore?") [Court allows application for parental orders made after six month time period](https://vardags.com/family-law/application-for-parental-orders "Court allows application for parental orders made after six month time period") [Children's evidence: A balancing act](https://vardags.com/posts/children-evidence-balancing-act "Children's evidence: A balancing act") Articles by John Oxley ---------------------- [Happily Never After: How to have a Good Divorce](https://vardags.com/posts/happily-never-good-divorce "Happily Never After: How to have a Good Divorce") [Vardags celebrated in Family Lawyer Index](https://vardags.com/posts/vardags-celebrated-index "Vardags celebrated in Family Lawyer Index") [Is there really any point to marriage anymore?](https://vardags.com/posts/any-point-to-marriage "Is there really any point to marriage anymore?") [Cut Gwyneth Some Slack: No Fault Divorce Is the Future](https://vardags.com/posts/cut-gwyneth-slack-divorce-future "Cut Gwyneth Some Slack: No Fault Divorce Is the Future") [The divorce diva's guide to a happy marriage](https://vardags.com/posts/divorce-divas-guide-happy-marriage "The divorce diva's guide to a happy marriage")