As part of our advice, we will discuss with you the various methods of resolving disputes and detail which is the most appropriate for your case.
The usual starting point is through negotiation which can take place between lawyers or with people representing themselves. We can also assist our clients in preparing for their own private negotiations.
With our strong team of experienced family lawyers, we go beyond the rather out-dated ‘see you in court’ approach of taking situations before a judge to rule on family matters.
Not all Divorce and Family Law Issues necessarily end up in Court. Resolving your case out of Court is likely to be cheaper and less stressful than contested litigation. Read more about how we can help you with our uncontested Divorce Fixed Fees, arranging a bespoke ‘Pay As You Go’ service or learn more about Arbitration, Private Hearings and Collaborative Law.
Whilst we have considerable experience of managing and conducting court applications, our specialist family solicitors also have experience of Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR).
Those alternatives include:
Arbitration – where the parties appoint an experienced expert to decide a point – often a retired judge, barrister or senior solicitor. The outcome of Arbitration is treated as a Court Order and called an ‘award’.
Mediation – where the people discuss their aims and objectives with an independent professional mediator, disclose appropriate evidence and generate options for settlement that we can make into a binding deal.
Collaboration – formal collaborative settlement involves all parties, their lawyers and financial experts getting together to thrash out a deal. The parties agree that if they fail to reach a deal, they cannot call upon that team for court proceedings.
Private justice – like with Arbitration, people can choose to follow the procedure of a court with privately-appointed lawyers acting as judge before going into the public legal system if no deal is reached. The parties can choose a judge they both have confidence in for those early stages and avoid some of the delays of being in the court system.
We aim to help you in your circumstance, regardless of your background or history. This is why we offer a competitive and affordable service to all of our clients. Please email us or call 01661 824582 to discuss your situation; during your initial FREE 45-minute consultation, we can discuss costs and create an action plan to find the quickest route to a resolution.