We have our own in-house family mediator, Ruth Hawkins.
As well as being an experienced family lawyer and member of the Law Society’s Children Panel, Ruth has been a qualified family mediator since 2012, and is accredited as a family mediator by the Law Society. Ruth is also a qualified child inclusive mediator.
Ruth aims to deal with couples in a clear, non-judgmental manner, and assist them to find a way of dealing with, and resolving the issues that arise upon separation and/or divorce, in a pragmatic and sensible way, looking for solutions, rather than focusing on problems. Ruth is also skilled in working with couples on communication issues, which can be particularly important where there are children, as the co-parenting relationship will continue long after the couple’s relationship has ended.
We also have close links with other external family mediators, who we can arrange to co-mediate, where that is felt appropriate or helpful.
There are many areas that you might choose to mediate about:
- Divorce proceedings or separation;
- Financial issues;
- Arrangements about where the children should live, how often they should see each parents/grandparent etc;
- Communication issues;
- Arrangements about any other aspect of a separation, including what to do about any pets;
- Practical arrangements, including any urgent interim issues.
We may also be able to assist with child inclusive mediation, and this will be explored in the initial MIAMs.
The list above is not exhaustive and there may be other areas that are suited to being discussed and dealt with in mediation.
Mediation can help couples at any time, whether before or after separation and whether or not legal proceedings have begun. Separation raises many problems that can often be resolved through mediation.
We ask for some information in advance from each party, so that we can understand what the issues are, and then invite each party to their own individual MIAM – mediation information and assessment meeting. If after this meeting, it is felt that mediation is suitable, a joint session – either in person or online – or a shuttle mediation – is arranged. An Agreement to Mediate is signed by both parties and also the mediator.
If the issues are in relation to children, our mediator will explore if the Government Voucher scheme can be used.
If the issues are financial issues, the mediator will explore with you both how the financial disclosure that you each need to make, should be handled. Typically the Form E used in financial cases going through the court, is used.
The number of joint sessions required, is likely to be led by you, and by how complex the issues are, and how quickly you can obtain all the information you might need.
Once an agreement is reached, our mediator will draft the documents that you might need either to resolve your children’s arrangements, or to take to a solicitor to have formal, legally binding documents drafted and approved by the court.