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Collins Solicitors Welcomes New Laws to Encourage Mediation for Separating Couples

Leading family law practice Collins Solicitors in Watford welcomes new laws, being proposed through the Children and Families Bill currently progressing through Parliament, which, if they become law, will encourage the use of mediation as a means of helping separating couples resolve their differences.
In 2012, 67% of the 124,000 couples opted to use mediation, often a quicker, cheaper option which allows couples to find solutions that they want to suit their family, while avoiding the cost and stress of court hearings.
The new laws would mean that separating couples will have to attend an initial information and assessment session (formally known as a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting or ‘MIAM’) to explore whether mediation is the appropriate route for them to resolve their differences, rather than going through Court proceedings.
Rebekah Gershuny, family solicitor and mediator at Collins Solicitor in Watford, comments: “It is clearly far better, where possible, to agree a divorce in a calm, rational way in order to identify the best way forward for your family. A mediator is an impartial third party who will help you come to conclusions that are right for you. That it will become compulsory for divorcing couples to have at the very least an assessment by a mediator, to see whether their individual case is suitable for mediation, makes sense long term.”

Collins Solicitors’ Family Law Practice.
The Mediation and MIAM’s services offered by Collins add to the broad range of family work that the firm offers clients; including pre-nuptial agreements, divorce, separation and advice regarding children and finances.
The firm is proud of its role helping clients to make informed decisions concerning the legal, emotional and financial aspects of their relationship breakdown.
Three of the firm’s Solicitors within the Family Team are members of Resolution and Rebekah Gershuny is also a qualified Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator.
The firm is a member of both the Law Society Family Law and Children Panels and holds a Legal Services Commission SQM for this work.

For further details, please contact:

Rebekah Gershuny, Collins Solicitors, T) 01923 223 324, rgershuny@collinslaw.co.uk