Collaborative Family Law Solicitors

Collaborative family law is a fresh and liberating approach to dealing with family disputes, such as divorce, separation, financial and children matters.  The philosophy and aim is that you and your lawyer work openly and constructively with your spouse or partner and his or her lawyer to achieve the best solution for both of you.

collaborative lawyers are highly trained, specialist family law solicitors who are committed to taking the heat out of family situations whilst also providing expert guidance towards a solution.  Whiskers LLP have a collaborative accredited solicitor.

If you and your spouse or partner feel you both wish to use the collaborative law process, you each need to appoint a ‘collaborative lawyer’ to represent you in the process.

The lawyers work together with you and schedule ‘four-way’ meetings during which the four of you will actively and openly discuss how to move things forward – this may be in terms of helping you reach settlement in relation to your finances and property but can include many other things.  The point is that you and your partner ‘call the shots’ as to what the issues are discussed and decided.  You have a lot more control and are more likely to feel satisfied with the outcome as you have shaped this your self, with help.

The collaborative process is by its nature ‘holistic’.  Together with your collaborative lawyers you can identify the needs of your particular situation – it is possible to have family therapists or counsellors appointed – or financial consultants.

The main difference is however that as a group of four, you, your spouse/partner and your lawyers agree in writing that you will not go to court.  This means you are more likely to remain amicable and be able to deal with each other constructively in the future.  This is obviously a good thing for all the family.

Not all cases are suitable for the collaborative process.  We can advise you as to whether the collaborative process is likely to help you.

Certainly cases which take the collaborative route have a high success rate and the partners are more satisfied with the outcome and tend to preserve a good relationship for the future.