Times of family breakdown can be incredibly stressful for all parties concerned. It can often be that lines of communication break down between individuals, who then find it difficult to discuss matters concerning their children or finances.
The traditional method of resolving conflict over issues such as these is for each party to have a solicitor who negotiates on their behalf. That can be, and often is, a very valid way of resolving disputes between separated persons.
There are, however, other methods of resolving matters. One of these is for separated couples to attend mediation. The aim of mediation is to allow parties to seek to find a resolution to their difficulties without the need to go to Court. It involves an independent third party called a mediator who helps both sides to come to an agreement that they are both happy to accept. Mediators do not take sides, and aim to help parties develop effective communication and to reach a common sense settlement agreeable to all parties in a case.
There are a number of organisations offering mediation services in Scotland. One of those is CALM mediation Scotland. At CALM all of the mediators are experienced family lawyers who have undergone extensive training as mediators and who have been accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as Family Law Mediators. This has the benefit of allowing all areas of conflict to be fully discussed, options to be explored, and for areas of agreement to be reached.
The experienced Drummond Miller Family Law Team is able to offer a wide range of options to seek to resolve all aspects of family law disputes including divorce and separation issues as well as issues regarding contact and residence of children. These options include mediation and collaborative law. If you would like further information and advice, please contact our experienced solicitors in Edinburgh, Dalkeith, Musselburgh or Bathgate.