See our clients' feedback about our Divorce and Family Team.
Collaborative practice is an empowering process where a couple that wants to separate agrees to work with their respective solicitors, together, to negotiate their own financial settlement. All the parties (both the clients and the lawyers) sign a participation agreement with each other, which agrees that they will not go to court or argue with each other, but instead meet together to forge an agreement that works for them both.
To collaborate, the parties each appoint a qualified Collaborative Solicitor. The solicitors will each meet with their respective client in the usual way. Then, almost immediately, the two solicitors meet with each other to discuss the process, timing and needs of the couple. This meeting is followed by a series of four way, round table meetings between the couple and their respective solicitors where every aspect of the divorce/separation is discussed and agreed.
Collaborative solicitors commit themselves to the resolution of disputes by agreeing that should there be a breakdown in any negotiations, both lawyers will play no further role. By taking this position the solicitors are liberated from their usual role and are free to help the clients negotiate. Collaborative solicitors aim to put the energy and legal fees into negotiations and settlement not adversarial trial preparation.
The traditional negotiating style is positional, both parties ask for more than they are likely to receive in the hope of achieving what they have both been advised they should receive. If the couple have confidence in both of their solicitors to approach the negotiations with realism, they will save time and money and are more likely to end up with a settlement that they both want.
The collaborative approach was developed in the US by lawyers who were frustrated with the usual adversarial approach but recognised that for many people mediation did not provide a sufficient framework of support and advice for their clients.
Ianthe Slinger is experienced in this area of law and belongs to a group of lawyers in the area known as CFL Bournemouth (Collaborative Family Lawyers in Bournemouth). The solicitors in CFL Bournemouth are independent of each other and work in the best interests of their own clients. All are available to meet with clients immediately. Contact Ianthe for more information on 01202 499255 or email Ianthe.
Book a Free Appointment
Contact a member of our Private Client Team to arrange a free initial appointment at either our Christchurch or New Forest office where you can meet your solicitor to see if you 'get on with them' and find out more about the process and likely outcome.
Family Solicitors
Our Family Team advises and represents clients in all types of family matters including:
- divorce
- co-habitee disputes
- children disputes
- financial disputes
- pre-nuptial agreements
- cohabitation agreements
Our Family Team can also call on the expertise of other departments within the firm whenever necessary to advise on property issues or changing your will.
.
