Collaborative family law

Our focus

They say that it is not the divorce itself, but the way you divorce, that takes the heaviest toll. The family team at Leeds Day certainly believe so.

Collaborative family law offers a whole new way of making the break and surviving the aftermath.

The most recent statistics suggest that almost half of UK marriages do not last forever. The real cost of relationship breakdown is not merely financial, although anyone who has been through the process will know how costly court battles over splitting assets can be.

The real cost is in the personal and emotional turmoil that so often accompanies the end of relationships. An acrimonious divorce can leave lasting scars, not just on the separating couple, but on their children, their extended family and support network. We commit to adopting a non-confrontational approach to divorce and encourage couples to seek shared solutions and to reach agreement. The process can also apply to civil partnerships or unmarried couples who are facing separation and can be used to resolve any other family disputes.

Our expertise

Simon Thomas is a trained collaborative family lawyer.  Simon is one of only two collaborative lawyers in St Ives.

Our approach to problem solving maximises the options and minimises the friction between the couple. Each of you has the support, protection and guidance of your lawyer. The crucial difference between collaborative law and the more traditional way of dealing with a divorce is that the lawyers agree they are there to help you through the collaborative process; they are not there to take the case to Court and are prohibited from doing so. If an agreed outcome cannot be reached then the two lawyers must bow out.

We provide all the professional expertise you would expect. This includes, if necessary, calling on advice from family consultants and financial experts, all of whom have undergone specific training to enable them to provide advice and support to separating couples through the collaborative process.

With your partner, you set the agenda. You work at the pace at which you feel comfortable. You commit to full disclosure and all talk openly about the issues that matter to you.

To find out more about collaborative family law, contact Simon Thomas on 01480 454301 or send us an email to family@leedsday.co.uk