Non Court Dispute Resolution

Mediation

In mediation, you and your partner discuss settlement options face to face with the assistance of an independent mediator who will assist you to identify the issues and help you reach your own solution. The mediator is not there to give legal advice to either you or your former partner but instead to facilitate discussions on an even-handed basis between you both. Mediation is a voluntary process which the courts encourage. We work alongside the mediator to ensure that you have legal support throughout the process.

Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is a process whereby discussions take place in a series of meetings at which you and your former partner and your respective lawyers are all present. The approach is a holistic one: the parties, not the lawyers, drive the issues for discussion. What is unique about Collaborative Law is that if the process breaks down, new lawyers have to be appointed which provides both parties with an incentive to commit to resolving matters without involving the Court.

Lyn Ayrton is a qualified Collaborative Lawyer.

Private FDR’s

The Financial Dispute Resolution hearing (FDR) is a key stage of the financial proceedings held within the court process where a judge provides his or her opinion of the likely outcome if the case proceeds to a full hearing. The intention is that the parties then try and negotiate an agreement having heard that indication. However, given the pressures on the courts, judges have limited time to devote to each individual case. The Private FDR mirrors the stage but differs from the court process as the parties specifically appoint the ‘judge’ who will make that case their absolute priority and will have had plenty of time to read into and thoroughly understand all the issues. Because the parties appoint the Private FDR judge, the hearing can be scheduled to take place on date convenient for them.

Arbitration

Arbitration is effectively a private court process for resolving certain types of disputes in family law cases. You and your partner jointly appoint a specialist family law arbitrator to settle the issues between you. Like court, the arbitrator will make a binding decision at the end of the hearing. Unlike court, you have control over the choice of the Arbitrator and can adopt a bespoke structure and timetable to suit your case. It offers a way to achieve a tailored outcome which is delivered swiftly and can save considerable costs.

Lyn Ayrton is a qualified and experienced Arbitrator dealing with financial issues.