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The Benefits of Solicitor Led Family Law Mediation

10 May 2022

In 2021 the government announced that for a limited time it will contribute £500 towards the cost of mediation services utilised by separated couples unable to agree on the arrangements for children, property and finance. On 1st April 2022 it was announced that this scheme is to be extended but for how long for is yet to be confirmed. The government’s key motivation for this move appears to be the backlog in the family courts post pandemic.  In our view at Sadler Cross Family Law, it is a positive initiative as mediation can often produce far better results than court intervention as it can help parents communicate so that they can reach decisions together about their family and are more likely to be able to resolve issues as they arise in the future.

Long Court Delays

Prior to the pandemic there were often delays in the family courts and the pandemic has added to an existing problem. For couples going through a separation, the period between the initial split and reaching an agreement about finances and child arrangements is often a period of limbo, where they are unable to make future-plans and move on. Court delays only extend this ‘limbo’ and the extended delay maybe unnecessary if a couple is willing to go through the mediation process.

What is Mediation?

Mediation is a constructive way of helping separated or separating families open the lines of communication by using an impartial third party (the mediator) to facilitate discussions between them.

Successful mediation is quicker and cheaper than asking a court to intervene to make decisions for them. However, cost and time could be considered the least significant benefits when considering the stress involved in court proceedings and the impact on the family involved.

Solicitor led negotiation generally involves letters going back and forth between the parties with each solicitor trying to negotiate the ‘best’ deal for their client, but this can sometimes, depending on the approach taken, cause further deterioration in the parents’ relationship. When a case is put before the court, the judge may impose a solution that neither party wants which can result in conflict further down the line. Mediation puts the couple in control.

Mediation enables the separating couple to sit down together to discuss potential solutions and air concerns and grievances in a controlled environment. It may take one session or several sessions to come to an agreement but if both parties have been listened to, been actively involved in the discussion, and consented to the final agreement, it is more likely to work in the longer-term and result in an improvement in communication.

Choosing a Mediator

It’s important to involve a qualified mediator and one who has experience. At Sadler Cross Family Law, we recommend solicitor led mediation, particularly when negotiating the terms of a divorce, for several reasons. If you choose a solicitor with years of experience of negotiating family law settlements, he or she will have advised hundreds of clients over the years and will be able to suggest possible compromises and solutions to complement the discussions.  Unlike many mediators who are not legally qualified, they also know exactly what information needs to be disclosed, discussed, and agreed for an official agreement, known as the Consent Order, to be drafted and finalised. There is nothing more dis-heartening (and we have seen it happen) than mediation to conclude, only then for the agreement to be dismissed by legal advisors because it fails to address key issues.

Where to start?

The first step is a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) where a trained mediator speaks to you and your former partner, separately at first. If you and your partner wish to proceed to family mediation and if the mediator considers that meditation is suitable in your case, the aim is then to arrange a joint mediation session to take that first step to an agreement that will help both parties move on.

For more information on mediation visit:

Family Mediation

Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings (MIAM)

Book Online – Book your initial 30 minute Mediation session with Lauren Sadler. 

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