Our expertise
Dispute Resolution.
Going to court can be costly, stressful, and the process can take a long time.
There are a range of options available to clients where court can be avoided and parties can reach amicable solutions more quickly and cost effectively.
Dispute resolution services can be delivered in the comfortable environment of our new purpose built offices and can be arranged at a convenient time for clients.
Arbitrators and evaluators will dedicate their entire day to your case and nothing else. Dispute resolution proceedings remain private, and aren't open to the public or press.
Private FDR can replace the normal court based FDR in financial remedies proceedings, or can be used prior to the issue of proceedings as a means to aid resolution of financial remedies disputes. There is also scope to use the procedure in Schedule 1 Children Act, Inheritance Act, and TOLATA.
Sadly, our courts are under considerable pressure. The infrastructure is creaking. Court buildings are full with very little privacy. Cases are cancelled at short notice. Despite their best effort, judges sometimes don’t have enough time to deal properly with their long lists and not all judges have backgrounds in family cases. For clients, this can mean undue stress and spiralling costs.
The private FDR takes place at a convenient time for both parties and can be held in our new offices, which were designed with this process specifically in mind, alternatively it can be held at some other mutually convenient location or remotely.
The evaluator is available for the entire day and will only be dealing with your case which allows negotiations to take place without the additional pressure of competing with several other cases for court time.
Unlike court proceedings the private FDR is confidential and is not open to the public or the press.
Arbitration is the binding and fair resolution of a disagreement by an independent judge. The judge is known as the ‘arbitrator’, who will be experienced in the area of law the parties disagree on. The decision of the arbitrator is binding on the parties and is therefore a genuine alternative to a court hearing where a determination is sought. Arbitration can be used in both financial disputes and those involving children.
The arbitration process can be tailored to the individual case and this could include several interim appointments followed by a final determination or a much simpler process which takes place solely based on written submissions.
Arbitration can be used to determine the substantive issues in a case or one discrete point of dispute. It therefore lends itself well to supplementing the mediation process which can break down where the parties are stuck on one specific point. It can also be used as part of the court process to speed up resolution of an issue which may take several court hearings and considerable time to resolve.
Arbitration when used in the alternative to court proceedings is private and is not open to the public or the press.
For more information about arbitration download our guide by clicking here.
We provide neutral evaluation settlement reports to separating couples who have disagreements about their financial arrangements. The report is a without prejudice document advising the parties jointly on how a Court is likely to approach the issues and an appropriate basis for concluding the dispute in their particular circumstances.
This cost effective means of getting a neutral assessment on the case is not binding on the parties and is an excellent way to get an objective assessment of the case at any stage.
For more information contact us using the link below.
Send us a message
If you would like to discuss your case with us, complete our contact form and a member of our team will contact you at a time that best suits you.