• 
• 
• 
• Buy / Sell Property Selling a Home Buying a Home Shared Ownership Leasehold Developers

  Family & Children Childcare Proceedings Children - Residence & Contact Cohabitation Civil Partnerships Divorce & Separation Collaborative Law Domestic Violence Sorting Finances

  Wills, Trusts & Probate Charity Law Court of Protection Wills, Trusts & Inheritance Power of Attorney Probate & Estates Tax Planning Trusts & Settlements Living Wills

  Accidents Personal Injury Brain Injury

  Disputes Property Disputes Contract Disputes Professional Negligence Employee Disputes

  Small Business Employment Law Landlord & Tenant Debt Recovery Company Law Company Property Agricultural Property
• 
• 

• Family & Children

• Fact sheets

• Childcare Proceedings
• Children - Residence & Contact
• Cohabitation
• Civil Partnerships
• Divorce & Separation
• Collaborative Law
• Domestic Violence
• Sorting Finances

Print this pageCollaborative Law

Collaborative law is a new approach to resolving family legal problems. The aim is to deliver an amicable out of court settlement that achieves the best possible outcome for the whole family – and to avoid, or minimise, the damage that can be done by going to court.

Jane Anderson, one of the most experienced Family lawyers in the region, is Cozens-Hardy LLP’s dedicated Collaborative Lawyer.

So, how does the process work?

The collaborative process is based on confidential face to face meetings between you, your partner and your respective, specially qualified collaborative lawyers. At the outset both lawyers and the individuals involved sign an agreement to achieve resolution without applying to court. You all sit around a table, discuss the issues and agree the terms of your separation or divorce. You decide what is discussed, and the pace at which things progress – you are in complete control of the process. Correspondence is kept to a minimum and the aim is for things to be dealt with in an open, dignified and constructive way.

Matters dealt with typically include financial issues arising from separation and divorce and issues concerning children. Collaborative law is particularly helpful for couples with children, where it is advantageous to maintain a good working relationship in the future; the reality is that dealing with a separation amicably can help maintain better relations between ex-partners and is less traumatic for the children involved...

When agreement is reached, a formal document is prepared to make the agreement binding (and if appropriate a court order can be applied for by post).

If the collaborative process breaks down, you still have the option of applying to court. However, neither of the collaborative lawyers will be able to represent you. Both you and your partner will have to engage new solicitors, or represent yourselves. This provides an incentive to make the process succeed. Furthermore, in order to demonstrate commitment to the process, you will be asked to provide a payment of £1,000 before the meetings begin. Relationship breakdown will always involve financial and emotional costs. Collaborative law tries to minimise those costs for all concerned.