The collaborative family law process is a relatively new way of dealing with family disputes. Each person appoints their own lawyer but instead of conducting negotiations between you and your partner by letter or phone, you meet together to work things out face to face.

Each of you will have your lawyer by your side throughout the entire process and therefore you will benefit from legal advice as you go. The aim of collaborative law is to resolve family disputes without going to court.

If you wish to use the collaborative law process you must instruct a lawyer who has been collaboratively trained by Resolution. All collaboratively trained lawyers join their practice group called a “POD”. This group will meet up on a regular basis with collaboratively trained members of other professions to discuss practice issues. Meeting in this way lawyers and other professionals to work more effectiveìy together on collaborative cases.

Emma Roberts is a Resolution trained collaborative Lawyer and is a member of the South Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire (SBEB) POD.

For further infofmation on collaborative law visit www.resolution.org.uk