Collaborative law is a process which is designed to help couples separate amicably and resolve childcare and financial issues without resorting to court proceedings.
The Hill Dickinson family team offers collaborative law as one option for divorcing and cohabiting couples. Other options include the traditional court process or round table meetings.
Collaborative law enables clients to:
- Have the support and guidance of a collaborative-trained lawyer in face-to-face meetings with their partner.
- Set their own agenda and reach creative solutions rather than having a court solution imposed upon them.
- Keep a line of communication open. This can be vital when both parties want to continue to work together within a business or want to continue to co-parent children.
Key considerations:
- All negotiations are carried out in face-to-face meetings called ‘four-ways’ with both parties and lawyers working together.
- Clients cannot go to court, apart from asking the court to grant an undefended divorce and to approve agreed court orders. If couples cannot reach an agreement, then both partners have to instruct different lawyers.
- Couples have to disclose all relevant
financial and other information in the collaborative process (as is
required in the court process). If this is not done, any agreement
reached could be open to challenge.
The family
department "focuses on high to mid-range ancillary relief, and
handles referrals from the firm's large corporate department".
