Mediation
Mediation provides parties to family law disputes with a win-win solution.
We are committed to helping our clients resolve disagreements through the mediation process.
Mamata Patel, a consultant at our firm, is a trained Mediator and firmly believes that a “non-confrontational line of communication with legal representatives and parties can often achieve resolutions which are not only children-focused but also allows for parents, family members and (where relevant) social services to forge a good working relationship to meet the needs of the children long term”.
We are a diverse, multi-lingual law firm based in our offices in Coventry. Our solicitors use use best-in-class technology to provide clients with streamlined, modern, and highly effective family law advice and representation. Our years of experience in family law means we have a robust reputation for excellence with the UK’s best Barristers and King’s Counsel, Forensic Accountants, Independent Financial Advisers, Surveyors, Actuaries, and Counsellors who can bring additional support to our family law department if required. Our clients also benefit from our ability to instruct the country’s most respected expert witnesses.
Our family law ethos
Our Family Solicitors are members of Resolution, an organisation of family law professionals who believe a non-confrontational approach to family law disputes produces better long term outcomes. Our team abides by Resolution’s Code of Practice and work to resolve divorce disputes through round table negotiation and mediation. However, if Court proceedings prove inevitable, you can trust that we will fight tenaciously to get the best possible results for you and your children.
Our highly intelligent and compassionate Solicitors have received training on dealing with the emotional impact of family law disputes. If you are finding things difficult, we can refer you to support agencies and counsellors that can help you. Our team, which include trained Mediators and members of the Law Society’s Children’s Law Panel, are here to help you when life takes an unexpected turn and get the results you need to move on to a positive future.
Below are some of the most common questions we receive from clients regarding mediation.
What is a MIAM?
MIAM stands for Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. A MIAM is the first stage in the mediation process. A trained Mediator will describe the mediation procedure and its advantages to you and your spouse or the other party to your dispute.
Not every case is suitable for mediation, for example, mediation will not be used where;
- one party is bankrupt,
- there is evidence of domestic abuse,
- there are child protection concerns,
- you and the other party have already attended a MIAM in the last four months, or
- one party to the matter is at significant risk of harm or hardship.
Although mediation is not compulsory the attendance of the MIAM is (except in the situations listed above) essential if you wish to bring Court proceedings.
You can choose to attend a MIAM on your own, or with the other party. During the first session, the Mediator will collect information to establish if mediation is the right way to settle your dispute. If, after the MIAM, you decide mediation is not going to work for you, or the Mediator deems it to be unsuitable, you will be given a form that proves to the Court you have attended a MIAM.
What are the advantages of mediation?
Mediation has several benefits, including:
- Both parties can explain their concerns and needs to each other in the presence of a qualified Family Mediator.
- The Mediator is impartial, so they are not on anyone’s side.
- The Mediator helps both parties, unlike a Solicitor appointed to act just for you.
- Although the Mediator will suggest ways of solving your problems or help you both to reach an agreement, they will never tell you what to do.
- The mediation process is confidential.
- Mediation costs less than formal Court proceedings.
- Mediation is voluntary – no one can force you to agree to any proposals on offer.
Is what is agreed during mediation legally enforceable?
Mediation is voluntary; however, if you and the other party reach an agreement, our Solicitors can draft documentation that can be submitted and approved by the Court. This will make whatever is agreed legally binding.
Why choose us?
Based in our offices in Coventry city centre, our solicitors will help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of any options presented during mediation. We will also ensure that you remain focused on your needs and interests during the mediation process and help you understand any legal or technical issues that may be beyond the Mediator’s expertise.
People choose and recommend us not just in Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington, but across the Midlands and the whole of the UK, because we care about them, their children, and their future. We are focused on results and achieving them in the most cost-effective, non-confrontational way possible. Our Family Law Solicitors will take care of your legal concerns so you can focus on yourself and your children.
To talk to us about family law mediation, please contact us using the form below, call us on Coventry (02476) 231000, email enquiries@askewslegal.co. or visit us at our city centre offices in Coventry.