Divorce is well-known to be one of the most stressful events a person can go through in life. When you think of divorce, you often think of expensive and traumatic court battles – protracted over a long period of time and resulting in a great degree of distress for everyone involved.
Whilst any marriage breakdown is bound to cause upset, there is a lesser-known approach to divorce that might be a much more suitable, not to mention affordable, solution for many couples.
Collaborative Law is an emerging approach to handling the breakdown of a marriage, where specially trained solicitors are instructed by both parties and a commitment is made to avoid going down the Court route. The husband and wife set the agenda and pace of the process throughout, allowing them to deal with matters important to them at the same time as controlling costs.
Collaborative law offers a much more holistic approach to resolving issues amicably and allows more creative solutions to problems than might not be achievable within the restrictions of the Court process. In my experience, it is especially effective where children are involved as it typically makes couples look at the effects on children and the long term impact, bringing in specialist counsellors if appropriate.
In today’s cost-conscious world, people are looking for better value for money at every turn – and getting divorced is no exception. Where costs can easily spiral during Court proceedings, the collaborative method allows for decisions to be reached in a much more cost effective manner – ultimately leaving more in the ‘pot’ for both parties, and their children in the long term.
It is important to remember that although a divorce is still likely to be one of the worst experiences of your life, there are ways in which it might be possible to lessen the strain. To discuss the options available to you when it comes to divorce, please do not hesitate to call and speak to one of our specialist family lawyers for free initial advice.
By Barry Bunyan, Collaborative Law Solicitor