FAQs – continued

I like the sound of lawyer-supported mediation, but won’t my separating partner think it’s all my idea and be suspicious?

Lawyer-supported-mediation.com is entirely impartial. We recommend you ask your separating partner to call us as soon as possible so we can give them exactly the same information:

• You’re each entitled to a free consultation with a similarly experienced and fully regulated senior family lawyer.

• When coming to us direct, you each pay the same fixed legal fee to participating lawyers for the same service unless one of you is eligible for reduced fee terms.

• You jointly decide in which area you wish to attend family mediation.

Can I choose my own lawyer from those participating?

If you do have a particular preference, please discuss this with us and arrangements may be able to be made. We only work with senior family lawyers who are similarly experienced.

So what happens if I instruct a participating lawyer but my ex-partner already has one or insists on hiring their own?

Providing you attend mediation with your ex-partner, you can instruct a participating lawyer on fixed fee terms to support you. Your ex-partner can proceed with their own choice of lawyer or no lawyer at all. But to maximise the prospects of reaching an agreement you’re each prepared to abide by, we strongly recommend you each work with a participating lawyer. All share the guiding of principles of lawyer-supported mediation and in some cases have helped shape the approach itself. Equally important, they’re part of a like-minded community of professionals dedicated to encouraging dialogue whenever appropriate. This breeds trust and respect across participating professionals and is one of our biggest selling points. Moreover, it’s doubtful your separating partner will find a similarly experienced family lawyer offering fixed fee to legal support in parallel to mediation.

Can we choose our own family mediator?

Yes. But as we state elsewhere, one of the biggest selling points of lawyer-supported mediation is access to our network of likeminded senior lawyers and mediators. All are recognised by the Legal Aid Agency (the gold standard in family mediation) and uphold the principles of the approach. We believe this maximises the prospects of reaching a joint agreement you’re each prepared to abide by.

How does lawyer-supported-mediation.com make its money?

We charge each participating lawyer a one-off fee at the time you instruct them to formally commence lawyer-supported mediation.