The aim of mediation is to assist couples by encouraging them to work together to agree arrangements for their children and finances, after they have decided to separate. Partner, Ruth Hawkins, and solicitor, Karen Newman, empower our clients to stay in control of their decisions and help them to keep their separation out of court. Mediation is a quicker, less stressful, and cost effective option for settling either children or financial arrangements after a separation or divorce. Our mediators have written some articles that you may find helpful when deciding if mediation is for you.
Giving Children a Voice in Family Disputes When parents separate, it’s not just the adults who are affected; children often find themselves caught in the emotional crossfire or confusion. Child-Inclusive Mediation provides a way for your child or children to express their emotions, thoughts, and even to make suggestions, regarding
The first meeting with a mediator is often called a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting or MIAM. The meeting will generally last about an hour, and will give you an opportunity to tell the mediator about your situation, and the issues that need to be decided. The mediator will tell
This week it’s been Mental Health Awareness Week, which has prompted me to think back on my 26 years practicing as a family solicitor, and to think about how those cases might have had better outcomes for those children and young people. For most of that time, I’ve been a
We have recently seen a significant sea-change in family law with the changes in the Family Procedure Rules concerning Non Court Dispute Resolution (‘NCDR’) coming into Law. NCDR will be at the very heart of each and every family law case. From Monday 29th April, there will be a much
But what is family mediation? Put simply, it’s a way of resolving disputes which have arisen upon separation, or of deciding how to organise your lives separately. I believe that it can be an extremely powerful way of resolving these issues, be they big – housing, money, children – or small
By Karen Newman and Ruth Hawkins Family Mediation week is taking place from 22nd to 26th January 2024. The objective of Family Mediation week is to raise awareness of mediation and how it can help separating families manage their issues constructively and non-confrontationally. At BH&O we have two mediators, our
The Ministry of Justice has carried out an open consultation and supports earlier resolution of private family law arrangements. One of the options considered is mandatory mediation. However, there are organisations such as Resolution that have warned against Government proposals which could see thousands of families forced into mediation, regardless
As Court delays are here to stay, you could try alternative dispute resolution. It has recently been reported in a leading legal journal, the Gazette Online, that Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service estimates that private law family cases may not return to pre-Covid levels for another three years. The
When you separate, there are often a whole host of issues that you need to consider, and if possible resolve, especially where children are involved. Finances, arrangements for the children, living arrangements including urgent ones, what happens to the family pet, and so on. Family Mediation is a way of
I want to leave my relationship but can I avoid going to court? Yes, there are various ways you can resolve family law disputes. In family cases the most common are direct negotiation through solicitors, mediation and collaborative law. It is possible for different parts of a family case to