What is Collaborative Law?
Instead of you and your former partner going to court, you agree to resolve things amicably. Each of you instructs a collaborative law solicitor to represent you at ‘four-way’ meetings, the aim of which is to resolve matters together.
These meetings can be scheduled around your own commitments and can deal with the entire financial settlement of the divorce, as well as matters relating to your children.
In some cases all matters can be dealt with in just a couple of meetings, though sometimes more meetings may be necessary to resolve all the issues. The benefits of the collaborative approach are considerable, but you must be willing to work with your former spouse in a constructive way to ensure the best chance of success.
The Collaborative Law Process
The collaborative approach means that you and your former spouse remain in control of the process, which can be particularly advantageous in reducing the emotional stress associated with the end of a relationship.
Collaborative law solicitors have an obligation to stop acting for you in the event that you and your former spouse cannot reach a settlement—this ensures that both you and your lawyers are committed to the collaborative process.
Both you and your former spouse will be expected to provide full disclosure in respect of your financial positions. During meetings, your collaborative law solicitor may also enlist experts to help finalise settlement, such as accountants, surveyors, and children specialists.