Collaboration within divorce process

William Giles, a top family lawyer at Woollcombe Yonge Solicitors as well as mediator and collaborative lawyer sets out some interesting information below that suggests that parties to divorce recognise the damage that a heavily contested divorce can do on the family as a whole.

In 2018, a You Gov survey taken by 2,005 adults gave the following results: –
• 75% said that due to conflict from divorce that they could see that their children’s academic achievements suffer where there is conflict in divorce.
• 80% said that they considered that divorce could negatively impact on a child’s mental health.
• 80% supported removal of blame from divorce.
• 66% considered that conflict from divorce could impact on a child’s ability to form healthy relationships and impact in a negative way on children’s social interactions.

With all these potential issues at stake for your children, can you really afford a damaging divorce process?
There are other alternatives to court. These include: –

1. Mediation. This is where both parties attend to discuss their issues with a mediator with the intention of reaching an amicable agreement. The meetings can cover wide ranging topics from how best to tell you children you are separating to when each of you will see them, to how to divide the assets. The discussions are ‘without prejudice’, meaning that the parties can discuss freely all their options.
Will is an experienced and accredited mediator.

2. The collaborative process. This is where two specially trained collaborative lawyers, of which Will would be one, meet together with the couple in a series of round table meetings in order to try to reach an amicable agreement and avoid court proceedings. Will is an experienced collaborative lawyer.

Will encourages everyone going through divorce to try to consider alternative ways to court proceedings to resolve their disputes. Will accepts that some cases have to go to court to be resolved, but there are a lot that go to court which really need not have had to.

Will is pleased to announce that from 6th April ‘blame’ has been removed from divorce proceedings.

This will hopefully create a situation where a divorce starts more amicably and therefore remains so.

Please do not hesitate to contact Will if you are interest in alternative ways of resolving divorce, separation and children issues.

Will is an experienced solicitor, partner in charge of the family team and a mediator and collaborative lawyer.

Will can be contacted on 01752 827912 for a free initial conversation.