What is collaborative law?
The collaborative process is a way for you and your former partner to try and resolve your dispute without going to Court.
It can be used for disagreements about money, children or both.
It can also be used to discuss arrangements if you are about to get married (pre-nuptial agreements) or about to live together (cohabitation or living together agreements).
How does it work?
Each of you instruct a collaborative lawyer who will work with you through a series of meetings where you will each receive advice at the same time in an open and transparent way. You will try and reach an outcome that works for you and your family.
Your collaborative lawyer has undertaken specialist training to assist you through this process.
Other professional can be brought into the process as and when they are needed for example, financial advisers, family therapists, pension experts, mediators or collaboratively trained barristers.
The process puts you in control. It moves at your pace and allows you to address issues that are important to you. It is flexible and can be tailored to your individual needs.
The agreement that you reach at the end can be formalised and made into a Court Order where necessary.
What if we just cannot agree?
Collaborative lawyers are expert in trying to “unlock” disputes, enabling constructive discussions, and identifying issues that may be preventing parties from moving forwards.
At the heart of the collaborative process is a commitment by each of you to try and resolve your dispute without going to Court. If this proves impossible then you have to stop the collaborative process and cease instructing your collaborative lawyers thus both parties are incentivised to try their hardest to try and reach an agreement.
If you would like to discuss Collaborative Law further , please contact Morgan Fitzpatrick in the Hatchers Family Law team on 01743 237642 or email m.fitzpatrick@hatchers.co.uk.
