Non-Court Family Law Resolutions: Expert Mediation & Solicitors for Settling Family Disputes out of Court

Many people going through a divorce or separation are not aware of the different ways that a family solicitor can help and support them in reaching a financial settlement or setting arrangements for their children to spend time with each parent and their wider family.

Every family and every separation or divorce is different so it makes sense that the way to sort out the issues arising from the breakdown of the relationship is not the same for everyone. Choosing the right process for you is essential. It may be that going to court is right in your circumstances but there are other options available.

Our expert family solicitors can help guide you through the options, discuss with you the advantages and disadvantages of each option so that we can help you determine which of the options are best for you in your particular circumstances. Choosing the right way forwards for you is likely to save you time and money in the long run and help you reach a better outcome for you and your family.

We can help and advise you in relation to any of the following:

Family Mediation

A family mediator is trained to help you discuss and resolve issues with your former partner in a series of confidential meetings. Family mediators are impartial and therefore do not give legal advice, so it can often help to have a solicitor who you can speak to in between mediation meetings. In the Lupton Fawcett family team we have an experienced family mediator who can help you or if you prefer for us to act as your solicitor we can refer to another family mediation service.

Read more about Family Mediation

Collaborative Practice

With the collaborative process, each person appoints their own lawyer who is not only experienced in advising on family law, but they have also had specialist training in conflict resolution. You have discussions in a series of confidential meetings, with both of you having your collaborative lawyer present to support and advise you as you go. Both parties and their collaborative lawyers commit to finding the best solutions by agreement, rather than ending up in court. If this is the right process for you, then Lupton Fawcett’s family team has a collaborative lawyer that can help.

Read more about Collaborative Law for family matters

Arbitration

An arbitrator is appointed by you and your former partner, usually with the help of your solicitors, to make a decision about your finances and property or, in some cases, about your children. The Arbitrator will make a decision after considering all the information about the case and legal arguments put forwards.

Read more about Arbitration

Out of Court Settlements

We can help you negotiate a settlement that is right for you to avoid the need of going to court. This usually involves a process of collating all the relevant information and entering into negotiations on your behalf, usually with your former partner’s solicitor. We can then prepare all the necessary documents to make any settlement into a legally binding agreement.

Read more about Out of Course Settlements

Private Financial Dispute Resolution Hearings

A relatively new option in family law is to jointly appoint an experienced family law professional to provide their independent view on how a case involving finance and property should be settled. This could be done in writing or at a meeting similar to a court hearing. You would not be bound by any view of the appointed professional but the hope would be that it would facilitate further discussions and help you reach an agreement with your former partner

Read more about Private FDR’s

Our team of family law solicitors are available to advise you on any of the options outlined about and then support you with clear and practical advice through whichever process is right for you.

Our family solicitors are all members of Resolution, a group of over 6,500 family law professionals who are committed to approaching family law matters in a constructive way, helping ease the pain and financial cost of a family breakdown.