Divorce is actually not a very easy process and it’s difficult to come to terms with.
I needed somebody to give me good, sound advice.
He was going through a difficult time after a long marriage.
I felt that collaborative was one which would be suitable to him.
We explained the collaborative process to both of them and they agreed that
they would give it a try.
I chose this practice because I had every confidence that they would do the job
professionally and that they could do it on a personal basis.
Having done family work for more than twenty years I know the process.
I know how difficult it can be for the clients – I’ve done hundreds of
matrimonial breakdowns, relationship breakdowns.
Sadly for Steve it was his first so he didn’t know the process, he was emotionally
involved but a lawyer’s job is to try and take some of the pressure off them,
explain the process and try and deal with it in the best way for them.
You’ve got to pick and choose the ones which you think can be dealt with
collaboratively and then offer it to the client and see what they make of it.
From time to time I would vent my feelings and I’m afraid Colin got the brunt of
that, because he was the one who had to listen to me and then say well that’s fine
Steve you’re right in what you’re saying, but unfortunately that’s not the way the
law would support you.
There is an element of understanding and he would give me sound, professional advice.
It was a good positive relationship.
I felt I could say things to him which I probably couldn’t say to anybody else.
We’ve managed to settle all the financial issues and it was done therefore over
four meetings over several months, rather than a court case which could take a
year, fifteen months, to conclude, and I would say be at least fifty per cent more
expensive and possibly a lot more than that.
If I had done things my own way and I hadn’t used a solicitor, the outcome would
have been far more messy, but in real terms it was probably as good as it could
possibly be the outcome.
