Mediation

Long tested as dispute resolution in the commercial and construction world and very popular in Australia and the US, mediation is now an increasingly attractive option on family breakdown, as an alternative to taking a dispute through the Courts.  Indeed, in almost all cases going to Court, you now have to prove you tried Mediation first.

We offer a private mediation option and cover financial and children issues.  Even in the most hostile breakdown involving complex issues, whether they are financial company issues, pensions or disputes around children, it is possible using the skills of the Mediator to reach an agreed settlement.

Mediated agreements can then be made into Court Orders without the need for anyone to attend Court.

The huge advantage is that you decide your outcome.  No Judge is imposing an outcome and you remain in control.

Agreed solutions cause fewer problems going forward and are shown as more likely to be sustainable solutions.

Your costs are contained – a fraction of what you pay to take a case through the Court system over a 12 – 18 month period and it will be done within 2 – 6 months, not 12 – 18 months!

Arbitration

Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution tool used regularly in the commercial world.

In 2011 the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators with the Law Society and Family Law groups established the Family Arbitration Scheme.  Jenny Goldstein was one of the first 20 lawyers to be trained and successfully accredited to Arbitrate Financial Dispute on Family Breakdown.

The process mirrors the Court process without the delay and the cost that comes with the delay.

The process can be fine tuned with the Arbitrators agreement, to suit your circumstances.  The Arbitrator is the decision maker and makes a final award.

We have suitable facilities to hold Arbitration hearings, which have to be fully recorded.  The Arbitration’s decision, “the Award”, will be provided in writing – explaining how the decision was reached and  providing a comprehensive legal background.  The law then enables the Award to be sealed by the Court without the attendance of the parties.

This process is ideal if it is simply not possible to use mediation.  It enables the parties to put their case, without or without Lawyers, to a decision maker but without the delay or cost of the Court process and with the knowledge that the Arbitrator is a recognised specialist in Family Law.

The quickest we turned around a complex case involving significant assets and pensions was 12 weeks from start to finish. The process was ideal for the mature couple who were both suffering health issues due to the need to remain in the same property, until a final order was made.

Meet the Mediation & Arbitration team

  • Jennifer Goldstein

    Senior Consultant – Private and Public Family Law

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  • Alex Buck

    Legal Assistant (Divorce and Family Law) and PA to Jennifer Goldstein