Working together to seperate

The collaborative family law process is an alternative way of resolving issues relating to your separation. It's an approach that encourages separating couples to reach solutions together to ease the pain of the relationship breakdown and to create the best chance of building a brighter future for you and your family.

Traditionally, when couples split they each take independent advice, hopefully from specialist family lawyers. Working through the lawyers they try to reach agreement on how best to settle their differences in relation to assets and children.

 

Working with your solicitor

Collaborative law provides an alternative. You and your former partner get together, and with the help of your solicitors, work out your differences face to face. The beauty of this approach is that you are dealing with your solicitor and your partner's solicitor to reach the best solutions for you and your family, not communicating through your solicitors.

This allows you to retain responsibility and dignity and some control over your choices and your future. You can also receive legal advice and support outside the meetings from your respective lawyers.

You and your former partner and both lawyers will sign an agreement which prevents your solicitors from representing either of you in court proceedings if the collaborative process breaks down. This shows our commitment to helping you find the best solution by agreement rather than through conflict and contested court proceedings.

If children are involved, remember that you will both be parents for a long time. Reaching agreements in a collaborative way can help children to cope better with the separation as they can see that you are working together to resolve problems and share responsibilities for the future.

How we can help

Our collaborative lawyers use their expertise and specialist training to advise you, negotiate and problem solve and involve the assistance of other professionals such as independent financial advisors, accountants and even life coaches if necessary.

We will work on your behalf to ensure that the key decisions that are made about your future will be made by you and not by a stranger in a court room.