Court isn’t always the best route. The stakes can be high, and the process can be stressful and expensive. We tend to think of court as a last resort.
Instead, we prefer non-court dispute resolution methods such as mediation and collaborative family law. These methods can often lower the temperature of a dispute, and give you a quicker, more economical resolution.
During a mediation, you and your partner try to come to an acceptable agreement about the matters in dispute between you. You can opt to have your lawyers present, but importantly, there is also a mediator.
The mediator is a neutral third party, who facilitates open communication and negotiation. They are legally trained so they understand the nuance of the law in your situation.
They will listen to your point of view and help you find a way forward that accommodates everyone’s needs.
Collaborative family law is a process for couples to resolve issues such as finances and child arrangements. The process is non-adversarial. You each have a lawyer, but you also work with neutral professionals such as financial advisors, family consultants, or child specialists. Together, the team help you devise and agree a settlement.
In this model, both parties instruct the same lawyer to resolve disputes without going to court.
People opt for mediation because it:
Is confidential and private
Is cost-effective
Is quicker than going to court
Empowers parties to make their own decisions
Provides a forum to explore options and discuss possible solutions
Can take place in person or online, with flexible scheduling to accommodate the parties.
Collaborative family law:
Maintains respectful relationships
Results in customised solutions
Reduces conflict and stress
Proceeds at a pace which suits the parties, as opposed to a court ordered timetable
Protects children from acrimonious proceedings that can greatly impact their welfare
The couple may choose to instruct the same lawyer because it:
Reduces legal costs as it avoids the costs of two lawyers
Minimises the stress of the process as the parties have the same advice
Avoids each party seeking their own best-case scenario via their individual dispute resolution solicitors, which can result in lengthy, stressful, and costly negotiations
Encourages a problem-solving mindset, helping both parties find common ground to make informed decisions
Seeks to ensure that couples to remain on good terms, especially important where they share children
Proceeds at a pace which suits the parties, as opposed to a court ordered timetable
Partner & Co-Head of Family Law
Saika co-heads the Family Law department. With more than 25 years experience in representing spouses, cohabitees, parents and grandparents, Saika is able to quickly focus in on the core issues in any Family Law case.
Partner - Family, Commercial & Technology
Robyn Allardice is a seasoned Family Lawyer and Mediator with extensive experience in the UK, international family law, and global cross-jurisdictional issues, as well as commercial & technology law.
Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution
Hal is the managing partner and head of dispute resolution. He has a wide range of expertise gained from over 30 years of experience in numerous areas of practice, including commercial and general litigation, inheritance disputes, employment, family law and immigration.
Partner - Family Law
Julius brings more than twenty-four years of legal experience to the firm’s Family Law Department. Julius qualified in 2004 and has a number of reported cases and particular expertise in international aspects of Family Law. Julius is also admitted in Queensland (albeit non-practising) and has had three reported cases in the last three years. He worked for over twenty years in his well-known and commended Family practice, Brookman, and has had four years experience working in boutique Legal District and City firms prior to joining the team at Branch Austin McCormick.
Partner - Family Law
Prior to joining Branch Austin McCormick in February 2023, Caroline was a partner in a Legal 500 family Law team in the city of London.
MCILEX Advanced Paralegal
Sophie is a paralegal providing legal and administrative support to the Dispute Resolution and Family Law team. She has recently qualified as an MCILEx Advanced Paralegal, and is now set to begin the CILEX Lawyer course.
Sophie won Best Newcomer/Young Practitioner at the CILEX National Paralegal Awards 2025.
Partner - Family Law
Mira Gohil-Patel joined the firm in March 2025 as a Partner in the Family team.
Associate - Employment and Disputes
Emily Iveson joined the firm in October 2023, starting her training contract in May 2024, working in the litigation, family and employment departments. Emily has now completed her training and qualified as a solicitor, working across the employment and disputes teams.
Consultant – Dispute Resolution, Employment & Family Law
Nadia’s practice represents a broad cross-section of the kind of legal services that most businesses and individuals typically need, regardless of industry sector or client profile, with a particular focus on dispute resolution.
Senior Associate - Family Law
Gorkem is a Senior Associate in the Family department advising on all aspects of family law, including, divorce and dissolution of civil partnership, financial remedy proceedings, arrangements for children, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation and separation agreements.
Partner & Co-Head of Family Law
Keshini is a Partner and Co-Head of the Family Department who has over 25 years of experience in family law and has cultivated a reputation based on her compassionate, integrative and insightful approach with clients and her savvy, ‘no-nonsense’ manner with difficult opponents.
Senior Associate - Dispute Resolution, Family Law and Private Client
Aida graduated with a Masters degree at the Faculty of Law in Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania and undertook her Law Society Graduate Diploma in law followed by the Law Society Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Bloomsbury, qualifying as a solicitor in October 2012.
Paralegal - Family Law
Caroline is a paralegal specialising in family law. She is currently working towards her CILEX paralegal qualification.
She supports our family lawyers with all aspects of their cases and she has experience in dealing with divorces, financial provision and Children Act proceedings.
Speak to our team of family lawyers.
We’re here to talk you through your options and advise on the best way to get a resolution, without raising the temperature of the dispute.