Collaborative family law

Once you and your ex-partner agree to pursue collaborative law during your divorce or separation, we can help you take the first steps towards coming to a resolution.

First, you will each need to hire a collaborative family law solicitor who will be present at all of your face-to-face meetings. An initial consultation will allow your lawyer to gather all of the information they need about your circumstances and what you would like to achieve from the process.

From this point, you and your ex-partner will attend meetings accompanied by your representatives. A contract will be signed stating that both parties commit to resolving the issues out of court, then negotiations can begin.

Once you reach an agreement, your lawyers will create a document outlining the finer details which you will both sign. Although this document isn’t legally binding, if you so desire, you could ask your lawyers to draft up a consent order which would make your agreement legally binding.

If you are unsure, your dedicated solicitor can advise on the best course of action.

While the process of working with collaborative lawyers isn’t free, it’s a cheaper and quicker alternative than going to court to resolve your issues.

Your collaborative family law solicitor can discuss the exact cost of the process with you. As it’s hard to say how long the process will last and how long you will need representation from a lawyer, the fees will vary on a case-by-case basis.

There are several key differences between mediation and collaboration methods for resolving issues between separating or divorcing couples.

In mediation, a neutral figure acts as the mediator to help you and your ex-partner come to an agreement about how you want to proceed and try to resolve issues you are facing during your separation.

With a collaborative approach, a lawyer will represent their client and offer guidance for issues that may be more complicated to navigate, such as financial or custody agreements.

Having legal representation will make the process easier for the client too, as solicitors will have a better understanding of how to evaluate proposals and negotiations.

Another key difference between both methods is the cost. Mediation is often the most cost-effective process but paying for the more expensive collaboration approach means you have solid legal advice every step of the way. Collaboration law can also take longer to complete, which could result in increasing costs.