It is 12 years since two colleagues and I brought collaborative law to Sheffield. In 2005, I heard about an alternative family law practice that was being introduced in England, following success in Canada and North America. I attended a training course in Manchester and these two days changed my Read more…
I remember preparing a Divorce Petition for a new client and starting to feel sad for the client. Not because their marriage has broken down. Not because they were faced with the prospect of trying to reach an agreement with their now ex-husband about arrangements for their children and long term Read more…
It’s inevitable that divorce will feel like the end of something, but the way you divorce can help you see a way forward and feel instead that you are approaching the start of something new. It can be hard to see, when wounds are still raw and everything feels uncertain, Read more…
It is said that bad divorces never end; the conflict goes on forever and can affect families and friends – not to mention the separated couple themselves – for years to come.So surely anything that can help people achieve a more constructive separation and reduce animosity, particularly where there are Read more…
One of the things we hear a lot as lawyers when couples are divorcing is that they feel powerless, and not in control of what’s happening to them. Letting a court decide on your future is essentially handing over control to someone who doesn’t know you or your family. Using Read more…
This often the initial reaction we get from people when we first mention the idea of collaborative law and whether it could be right for them. And it’s perfectly understandable. You’ve separated from your husband, wife or partner. Emotions are running high. It’s an incredibly difficult time, and the thought Read more…
Following on from my previous blog it has now been confirmed by the Court of Appeal that the 24 month time limit imposed by the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) is invalid. LASPO was introduced in April 2013 and resulted in the majority of people who had Read more…
When former Eastenders actress, Sian Blake and her two children were discovered murdered in their home, the issue of domestic abuse was thrust back into our conscious. This case garnered media interest because of the celebrity connection, but the harsh reality is two victims of domestic abuse are murdered by Read more…
In April 2013 there were significant changes to the legal aid funding system. This meant that in all applications after this date, legal aid would not be available to fund family court proceedings unless the person applying for funding was the victim of domestic violence. This means that around 75% Read more…
Contrary to popular belief, marriage does not automatically result in a change to the wife’s surname. Nevertheless, in England and Wales a marriage certificate is the only document required to enable a wife to formally change her surname to that of her husband. By providing the original marriage certificate she Read more…