Collaborative family law is a new approach by lawyers to reach a settlement in a dignified manner, without court involvement. In this process, lawyers and clients work together to resolve children and financial issues arising out of the separation.

In collaborative law each spouse retains their own separate independent lawyer for the purpose of advising, negotiating, assisting and problem solving. The process centres on four-way face-to-face meetings where the clients and lawyers sit round the table and work on settlement issues.

The corner stone to the process is that the collaborative lawyers enter into a binding written agreement that cannot be changed at court. If an agreement cannot be reached and the case goes to court, then new lawyers will be instructed. This ensures all parties are committed to making the process work and ensures the lawyers become problem solvers.

We have a strong team with different expertise who work together within Ashton KCJ to solve your problems.

Our Collaborative Family Lawyers are Stephen Williams, Brenda Head, Mary Pearce, Ian Winterbone, Elisabeth Sneade and Sue Bailey. They all have a wealth of experience and are happy to discuss or answer any questions you may have regarding collaborative law.

Ashton KCJ solicitors can also assist in the following areas:

• Civil partnerships
• Collaborative law
• Dispute resolution
• Employment
• French legal services
• Lasting powers of attorney and court of protection
• Mediation
• Personal injury
• Medical injury
• Probate and administration of estates
• Residential conveyancing
• Tax
• Wills, trusts, lifetime giving, inheritance tax