Collaborative Law

Home Services Family and Divorce Alternatives to Litigation Collaborative Law

Collaborative law, an alternative to mediation, is another way in which a separating couple can resolve issues without the need for court proceedings. It is based upon a series of round table meetings involving you, your former partner/spouse and your respective lawyers.

Together you will sign an agreement setting out various principles about how you wish to resolve issues and stating that it is your intention to reach a settlement without going to court. You agree, if the process breaks down, that you will both instruct new lawyers and so there is a strong incentive for everyone to strive towards agreement and resolution. All the negotiations in collaborative law take place face to face and “around the table” allowing you as a couple to control the process and keep correspondence to a minimum.

Collaborative law can be a useful way of agreeing the terms of a prenuptial agreement, where everyone's wishes and concerns can be tackled head on in face-to-face meetings before final terms are agreed.

Our team of specialist family lawyers includes a number collaboratively trained lawyers, including Charlotte Bradley (who was instrumental in setting up the collaborative family law model of dispute resolution in this country) and Jane Keir, who will be able to discuss the suitability of this approach to your particular circumstances.

Recent examples of work

Acting for a City professional husband in resolving a financial settlement with his wife during the course of several collaborative meetings with the wife and her lawyer. The husband had a substantial income, and the case involved discussions about maintenance (amount, structure and term of payment). A creative and tailored settlement was agreed, giving the husband certainty and providing for separate funds/pension for the wife in retirement.
Representing a Canadian national who was entering into a prenuptial agreement with her British fiancé. Our client had inherited assets while herfiancé had business interests and we worked together through a number of meetings to agree a detailed prenuptial agreement addressing these and other issues.
Acting for a wife who was seeking a substantial financial settlement from her husband who ran a hedge fund. The assets exceeded £40m and the settlement (based on a clean break) was agreed following considerable tax and offshore pension advice.

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Legal 500 UK

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If you require further information or advice from our team of specialist family lawyers, please contact a member of our team, email us or call us on +44 (0)20 7814 1200. Alternatively you can submit a brief online enquiry here.