We also offer a new ‘speaking and listening face to face’ service for dealing with your spouse and/or their solicitor. 

This is called ‘Collaborative Law’  - which breaks away from the traditional ‘paper based’ Court process, so helping to reduce conflict.

what are the benefits?

This process can be quicker, and it can be cheaper because it avoids costly, sometimes unnecessary court battles.

Where you have children, it also means that you have the best chance of being able to co-parent your children effectively with your ex after your divorce or separation.

what is it?

Your children are at the heart of this process.

Collaborative Law is a relatively new legal process that solicitors can use to help their clients to ‘start over’ in the best way possible, from relationship break ups and life crises. 

Using Collaborative Law means that people can avoid much of the confrontation (for example that would take place in the course of Court proceedings) in resolving the terms of their relationship breakdown or divorce.

Collaborative Law is a more constructive way of handling divorce and relationship breakups.

In Collaborative Law, the law is the same, but you use a different process (it's not mediation!), which is designed to focus entirely on maintaining constructive dialogue in order to resolve all aspects of separation. 

how does it work?

This process deals with all of the same issues as the Court process, including the division of any assets and income, and the future care of any children, but without actually involving court proceedings. 

The process works very differently to Court proceedings. You and your spouse/former partner, each appoints their own lawyer.  Instead of conducting negotiations between you largely in written communications, you all meet together (in several sessions) to work things out face to face.

Each of you will have your lawyer (who must be specially trained in Collaborative Law) by your side throughout the entire process.  

BENEFITS OF A COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE SETTLEMENT:

• You can maintain control of the process and participate at every stage, with the protection of expert advice.

• The outcome is controlled by you and your spouse / former partner, therefore avoiding the uncertainty of a court imposed outcome.

• If you have children, their interests will be kept at the forefront of this process.

• Your relationship with your spouse/former partner may have broken down, but you will still both be parents, if you have children, and the collaborative process will help you to co-parent effectively together after your divorce or separation.

• By participating in this process, you will avoid potentially acrimonious and stressful court proceedings.

• By reducing the level of confrontation common in court proceedings you can help preserve family relationships.

• Court costs can be avoided.

• You can achieve a quicker, more workable solution to your divorce or separation.