If you are going through separation or divorce, it is vital that you are aware of all the options available to you for resolving matters. Court proceedings are sometimes unavoidable, but in the vast majority of cases it is possible to resolve matters without recourse to the court.
At the first meeting, we will discuss the options available to you to resolve matters, including:
- Direct Agreement: Some people are able to agree matters directly, without involving lawyers, on some or all issues. We still strongly recommend that you seek legal advice in these circumstances.
- Consensus: Edward Cooke Family Law has developed Consensus as a solution for couples who wish to resolve issues arising from their separation jointly, using the same lawyer.
- Mediation: When a relationship breaks down, Family Mediation is an excellent way to resolve all of the issues that arise in a safe and neutral environment - and in a much more cost-effective way than an adversarial court process. We offer a dedicated mediation service, including hybrid mediation and child-inclusive mediation.
- Collaborative Law: Collaborative Law offers separating or divorcing couples the chance to reach their own solutions with dignity and respect, with the assistance of specialist, collaborative family lawyers and other professionals.
- Solicitor Negotiation: It is possible to resolve matters upon divorce or separation through negotiation in correspondence between solicitors
- ENE and Private FDRs: An Early Neutral Evaluation (ENE) or a Private Financial Dispute Resolution hearing (FDR) can be a very useful way to achieve an early resolution of issues upon divorce or separation. Private FDRs are used in the resolution of financial issues, whilst ENE is used in children cases.
- Arbitration: Arbitration provides an alternative to the court process when dealing with financial or children issues upon divorce or separation.
