Mediation

Mediation is an opportunity to work together with your former partner (or indeed other family members with whom you may be in conflict) to produce real and lasting solutions to difficult family problems. Christopher Thomas is a solicitor and family mediator with many years of experience of Family Law and who has specialised in family mediation over the last ten years.

The aim of mediation is to ease the process of separation and family conflict, assisting clients to arrive at arrangements that are fair to all concerned, but which can also be made to work by virtue of the expert knowledge that the mediator brings to the discussions.

The mediator will make no decisions for you – they remain yours to make – but will facilitate the dialogue required between you by helping you identify and focus on the issues, and making sure that you have all the information you need to make good decisions . The mediator will help you look at the options and all their implications, but it remains the case that clients can seek their own legal advice and support throughout the process if they wish – indeed, we encourage that. However, our experience is that by arriving at your own solutions and avoiding court battles, bitterness and conflict can be reduced or eliminated. Mediation is particularly helpful where there are children involved, as the damage that may be caused to them by long term parental conflict is well recognised.

Mediation can also save time and costs, and public funding(Legal Aid) may be available via referral through local agencies such as Devon Family Solutions. We do recognise however that many cases are not suitable for mediation, but we will be happy to arrange a free intake meeting to examine how it might work for you.