Did you know that this week is Good Divorce Week?
Resolution is a specialist group of Family Lawyers and other professionals who are committed to ensuring a constructive resolution of family disputes.
Members of Resolution have attended Parliament to Lobby MP’s this week about:
- No fault divorce
- Current divorce law does not support non-confrontational resolutions for separating couples.
- This leads to couples having to play a blame game which can escalate conflict.
- Resolution members are particularly concerned about the impact conflict and confrontation between separating parents has on their children.
- In a recent survey of Family Law professionals over 90% agree that no fault divorce should be available to separating couples.
- Rights for cohabitants
- Cohabiting couples represent nearly 10% of the population, they are the fastest growing family type in the UK.
- However, under current cohabitation law it is possible to live with someone for decades have children together and then simply walk away without taking any responsibility for their former partner when the relationship breaks down.
- This can have a huge impact on women and children, particularly in cases where a mother has given up or reduced her work to raise a family.
- In a recent survey of Resolution members 80% agree that cohabitating couples should have some basic legal rights, but not necessarily the same as married couples.
- Fair access to the legal system
- Legal Aid reform has had a severe impact on the availability of vulnerable people to access justice.
- Too much effort has focused on the point of crises rather than prevention, and the number of people who have had no choice but to represent themselves in Court has risen sharply.
- The Justice Select Committee is right to state that the cuts have limited access to justice for some of those who need Legal Aid the most.
- The government must fulfil its commitment to carry out their review of availability of Legal Aid at the earliest opportunity.
- Court modernisation
- Resolution has opposed the government’s decision to close 86 Courts across England and Wales.
- Those most affected by these closures will be vulnerable people.
- The government said savings created through closures will allow for modernisation of the remaining Family Court.
- Whilst Resolution members welcome the additional investment in remaining Courts this work needs to be done as a matter of urgency.
All members of the Family Department at Cocks Lloyd support the changes that are being proposed.
In addition to lobbying Parliament, Resolution have issued an updated and revised Code of Conduct. All members pledge to follow a Code of Conduct which promotes a sensitive, non-confrontational approach to family problems. The Code has recently been revised and updated to reflect the family justice environment and really is the cornerstone of our approach to Family Law.
Sharon Wilkinson, Partner, and Head of the Family Department at Cocks Lloyd is a longstanding member of Resolution. Sharon has signed up to the new Code which she believes promotes a constructive approach to family issues and considers the needs of the whole family, in particular the best interests of children.
Sharon is signed up to the Resolution Code – this means if you decide to instruct Sharon in relation to family matters, she can assure you of the following:
- I will listen to you, be honest with you and treat you with respect.
- I will explain all the options and give you confidence to make the right decisions.
- I will help you focus on what is important in the long term.
- I will help you balance financial and emotional costs with what you want to achieve.
- I will work with others to find the right approach and the best solution for you.
- I will manage stress in what can be an already stressful situation.