Collaborative Family Law

Many couples want to focus on the future beyond the breakdown of a relationship and this is where collaborative family law can support you.

This approach to divorce, separation or child arrangements allows you and your ex-partner to work through everything together with the help of your collaboratively trained divorce lawyers.

This process takes place in person and works towards reaching an agreement, without the need to go to court and often with the help of other professionals, including accountants, valuers and financial advisors.

The result is an agreement you’ve built together, reached sooner and with far less stress and uncertainty than taking matters to court.

To find out whether collaborative law is right for your situation, arrange a confidential chat with our family law team today.

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Is collaborative family law right for you?

Collaborative law suits couples who can still talk to each other, even if those conversations are difficult.

You don’t need to agree on everything before you start but must be willing to sit down and be open about your circumstances.

It works whether you’re a married couple wanting a straightforward, uncontested divorce or parents agreeing on arrangements for your children.

How the collaborative law process works:

Each partner appoints a collaborative solicitor and signs a participation agreement.
You attend four-way meetings with one another and both solicitors.
One or both of you apply for divorce, starting a 20-week reflection period.
Finances and children’s arrangements are agreed upon during this time during face-to-face meetings.
A Conditional Divorce Order is followed by a final order six weeks later, ending the marriage.
A parenting plan covers where children live and time with each parent.
Solicitors prepare the paperwork to make everything legally binding.

Every family is different, so timescales vary, but a straightforward divorce takes a legal minimum of around six months and most uncontested divorces are finalised within six to eight months. Agreements about your children are often reached within that same period.

As you control the pace by using collaborative law, the process is rarely held up by court diaries or waiting lists.

Why choose Mander Hadley for collaborative family law

Regulated and accredited

We're regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and our solicitors hold Resolution membership, which promotes dealing with family law matters in a constructive way.

Trusted by families

Our services are highly-rated by clients, with many telling us we made an emotionally difficult process easier to deal with.

One specialist team, every issue covered

Our family department is led by Stuart Daniel, a collaboratively trained solicitor who is part of a team that deals with divorce, financial settlements and children's arrangements every day.

More than 125 years in Warwickshire and Coventry

Mander Hadley has been advising local families since 1901.

Ready to talk it through?

If you’d like to find out whether collaborative law could work for your family, get in touch for a confidential conversation with Stuart Daniel and the team.

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What our clients say

"Stuart Daniel was superb in guiding me through every stage of my case."

"I was made to feel listened to throughout the process."

"Quick response, no pressure and clear next steps throughout."

Find a more amicable way to move forward

Court isn’t the only option when your relationship ends. With collaborative family law, you can protect what matters most, your privacy, your finances and your children’s wellbeing, while working towards an agreement you both helped create, covering your divorce, your money and your children’s arrangements in one process.

FAQs

What happens if we just agree things between ourselves without anything formal in place?

It can feel like the simplest option, but informal agreements aren’t legally binding. Without a final order and a financial consent order, either of you could bring a financial claim against the other, sometimes years later.

Also, without a recorded parenting plan, there’s nothing to fall back on if circumstances change or one of you stops sticking to what was agreed.

What is collaborative family law?

It’s a way of resolving the issues that come with separation, including divorce, finances and arrangements for children, through face-to-face meetings rather than court.

You and your ex-partner each have your own solicitor throughout and everyone commits in writing to reaching an agreement without going to court.

How is collaborative law different from mediation?

In mediation, you and your ex-partner work with a single, neutral mediator who can’t give either of you legal advice.

In collaborative law, you each have your own solicitor in the room throughout, giving you legal advice and support at every meeting.

Will I end up with a lesser outcome than if I went to court?

No. Collaborative law still applies the same legal principles a court would use, whether that’s reaching a fair financial settlement or putting your children’s welfare first under the Children Act 1989. The difference is that you and your ex-partner shape the outcome together, with full legal advice, rather than having a decision imposed on you.

What if my ex-partner or co-parent won't engage with the process?

Collaborative law only works if both of you are willing to take part. If your ex-partner isn’t open to it, we can talk you through other options, such as solicitor-led negotiation, mediation or, where necessary, a court application, to find the right route for your situation.

Can collaborative law cover my divorce, my finances and my children's arrangements all at once?

Yes, and this is often where it works best. Rather than running separate processes for each issue, the same series of collaborative meetings can be used to agree your divorce, your financial settlement and a parenting plan together, so everything is resolved in one coordinated process rather than left as loose ends.

Do I need to be married or getting divorced to use collaborative law for my children's arrangements?

No. Many parents who were never married use collaborative law to agree arrangements for their children and it works just as well if you’ve separated informally as it does alongside a divorce.

How do I get started with collaborative law?

Get in touch with our family law team for a confidential initial conversation. We’ll talk through your situation, explain whether collaborative law is likely to suit you both and outline the next steps.