Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is a recent approach by specially trained and accredited family lawyers nationwide to manage divorce in a more dignified way.

Here at Bonallack and Bishop we are big fans of the Collaborative Law divorce process, and now have two of our family law team trained up at our Salisbury, Amesbury and Andover offices as collaborative lawyers. Our lawyers deal with collaborative law cases throughout Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire and regularly represent clients in Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Gillingham, Frome, Warminster, Westbury, Fordingbridge and Ringwood.

We are convinced that the Collaborative Law approach is the future for divorce work, with sensitive, specially trained collaborative Family Lawyers working together to sort out problems quickly and cheaply, avoiding the stress, delay and confrontational approach that any court application involves.

How Collaborative Law works

• All parties unusually agree in writing to reach a divorce settlement without Court involvement – agreeing to work together to sort out issues regarding both money and children.
• In face to face meetings with both husband, wife and their respective lawyers, both of whom must be trained in Collaborative Law.
• Clients remain in control of the process with lawyers there throughout for legal advice and guidance. Utilising their skills in negotiation and problem-solving, collaborative family lawyers help clients shape a fair agreement. 
• If settlement cannot be reached then both husband and wife must appoint new firms of solicitors to deal with the Court proceedings. There is therefore a strong incentive for both clients and solicitors to reach a fair settlement.
• Correspondence between lawyers is discouraged, keeping down costs and helping parties sort out separation in an amicable way.
• Unlike Family Mediation, where a mediator usually advises both parties with lawyers excluded from much of the mediation process, in collaborative law both parties have their own lawyer present for advice throughout. Please note that we also have a qualified family mediator as part of our family law team.

Contact our Collaborative Law Solicitors

Our Collaborative Law solicitors can see you in our Salisbury, Andover or Amesbury offices. Our lawyers also regularly represent clients in collaborative divorce cases in Sherborne, Basingstoke, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Winchester, Ringwood, Warminster, Verwood, Ferndown, Fordingbridge, Blandford Forum, Romsey, Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Melksham, Calne, Corsham, Frome and Westbury.

For legal advice, contact a Collaborative Law Family Solicitor in our Salisbury, Andover or Amesbury offices today.