Search site
Contact our offices
Make an enquiry
Mediation can be a very effective approach to family law matters, allowing you to avoid the time, cost and conflict typically involved in court proceedings. Our family law mediation solicitors can provide an in-house mediation service, as well as pre- and post-mediation advice.
Glanvilles’ team includes accredited family mediator Tina Day, allowing us to offer a friendly, very effective in-house mediation service for our clients. Tina is highly experienced, with the skills to guide you through even the most complex and challenging family law matters.
Our wider Family Law team can also support you with getting ready for mediation and the steps you need to take once you have reached an agreement through mediation. This can give you confidence that your best interests are being protected at all times.
Our family law mediation services include the following:
We know that dealing with family disputes can be tough, so we make every effort to put you at ease. Our team will be very happy to answer any questions you have and make sure that you feel fully supported through every stage of mediation.
Have a question? Please see contact Tina Day or contact one of our offices using the details below.
Contact our family mediation lawyers in Chichester, Fareham or Havant or fill in our simple online enquiry form for a quick response.
Key reasons to choose mediation include:
Family mediation is a process where a separating couple (or any other parties with a family law issue to resolve) seek the support of an independent third party called a mediator to agree a way forward.
The mediators role is to facilitate productive conversations and defuse any potential sources of conflict. They do not tell you want to do or advise on any decisions you need to make.
Family mediation meetings can be used to discuss a wide variety of matters, such as:
First the individuals involved are required to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to ensure that their case is appropriate for family mediation.
During a mediation session, the trained mediator will open up a discussion between the clients, introducing the issues, and allowing both parties to express their opinions and preferred outcomes.
The mediator will help the parties to set tasks for the session(s) for instance, to determine child contact arrangements or to provide certain financial information for a settlement.
The mediator will attempt to guide the individuals towards a resolution and, if this is not achieved by the end of the session, further sessions will be scheduled to continue the mediation.
The cost of family mediation will depend on the mediator you choose to work with and the number of sessions needed. You should normally be given a fixed price for each session, with the need for further sessions agreed at the end of each session.
You should also budget for seeking an experienced family law solicitors advice before attending mediation, so you are clear on your rights and negotiating strategy before your first session.
It is also sensible to get a solicitor to advise on any agreement you reach through mediation, which can normally be done for a fixed fee. Once you are happy with the agreement, it is normally recommended to apply to a court for a Consent Order to make the terms legally binding. Again, this can typically be done by a solicitor for a fixed fee.
If you wish to find out how much our mediation solicitors charge for assisting you with the process, please get in touch.
How long mediation takes depends on the case. An average mediation session takes around 90 minutes, and some clients can resolve matters in just one session. For others, it may take between three and five sessions to settle things.
Before starting the mediation process, you will be required to have a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM).
The meeting is led by a trained mediator, they will give information about the process and help you to decide if your situation is suitable for mediation.
While family mediation can be very effective, it is not necessarily right for every family law issue. For example, mediation is not normally recommended where there has been a history of domestic abuse or the relationship between the parties is particularly contentious.
For mediation to be effective, it is important that you and your ex-partner (or whoever else is involved in the dispute) are open to working together amicably to find solutions. You also need to be confident that you can navigate the issues you need to resolve without a solicitor or other expert advice on hand e.g. from a financial adviser.
If mediation is not appropriate, collaborative law can be an advised alternative to mediation. This also involves negotiation between the parties involved in a family dispute, but you have the advantage of each having your own specialist trained collaborative lawyers on hand to support you. You can also have other experts, such as accountants and financial advisers sit in on the process.
Glanvilles’ Senior Associates Charlotte Woodhouse and Tina Day are trained collaborative lawyers, so this is another option we can offer.
Our family mediation lawyers can offer:
When you use our family law mediation service, we promise:
Contact our highly experienced mediation solicitors in Chichester, Fareham, Havant and Petworth or fill in our simple online enquiry form for a quick response.
Send us a message
Fill in our form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible