Collaborative Law
Collaborative Practice is for those who are confronting divorce or separation and want to reach solutions in an amicable way that meets the needs of the entire family. Divorce is life changing and how you choose to divorce may have great significance on what follows. One of the difficulties of sorting out a divorce or separation is that you have to make the best of decisions at the worst of times. The Collaborative philosophy is to help people to take control of what is happening in their lives so that they can find a commonsense way to resolve complex family problems with dignity and respect. In Collaborative Practice couples, their lawyers and other professionals work together in round table meetings to negotiate agreements to resolve financial and other issues without the involvement of the courts. Crucially, the couple agree from the outset that they will not take each other to court unless the negotiations break down - in which case they each have to instruct new lawyers. This creates a huge incentive on all involved to work through difficulties until acceptable solutions are reached. It is all too common in the traditional approach to find that the threat of court polarises attitudes and sometimes accentuates the differences, rather than acknowledging that the couple have a mutual interest in working together to make the most of the family resources to ensure that all family members' needs have been provided for. "[Collaborative practice] is definitely the way forward for divorce in the future. It made a painful process as respectful and mindful of all concerned as possible" If you would like to know more about Collaborative Law please speak to Julia Smart of our Family Department