Family law practitioners continue to make strides to find alternative methods of resolving family law issues and Moore Barlow remain at the forefront of that journey with our One couple one lawyer model, Accord.
It is a long-held belief amongst family law professionals that those who take control of their own separation and make the decisions about their outcomes, engage more fully in the process and take ownership of the result. Far better to reach a solution designed by you for you and your families particular needs and circumstances, than have someone else impose that upon your family unit, especially at a time when that unit may be fractured and under strain.
Accord – One couple, one lawyer, one aim
Couples asked and we at Moore Barlow created Accord, a process where one lawyer can act for and support both clients and where we can offer under one umbrella all that is needed to achieve a settlement. That aim is underpinned by the prospect of additional support for each of the couple from separation and divorce coaches and counsellors, each who offer different assistance to the couple as individuals to keep them on track to achieve the joint desired goal at a time when emotions and tensions are running high. There has been a desire for a forum in which a couple can access cohesive legal advice together; a forum where securing legal advice does not create division or distance the parties as a by-product of the same, but builds on their common interest and intent and assists drive that through to a resolution. Accord has the benefit of a rolling up a number of skills and traditional services into one process to offer the couple direct advice within joint meetings and the chance to explore together the consequences of that advice for them each. It has the benefit of leading to a quicker solution and therefore a more cost effective one. That is an increasingly important issue for couples when, even under one household, they are feeling the financial strain in the current climate. The one couple, one lawyer process assists the couple to make an informed decision without each person deferring to the advice of another who is not part of the discussion nor has had the benefit of understanding the couple’s dynamic, which can only really achieved by working together with them as a couple. Each time another person gets involved in the decision-making process, one faces the risk of another’s interpretation of the aims and needs of the couple which could, albeit unintentionally, negatively influence the outcome. The process of seeking separate representation gives rise to the possibility of even unconscious bias impacting the advice given to the couple as individuals.Divorcing with Neutrality
You cannot go into court both sharing one attorney, but what if you don’t rely on the courtroom to settle your disagreements? If you decide to use mediation and come up with a divorce agreement in a conference room instead of a courtroom, you are looking at an entirely different legal situation than before. During mediation, you can use one attorney, but that lawyer isn’t representing you or your ex-spouse. Instead, the family lawyer overseeing your mediation acts as a neutral party that helps each but fights for neither.The responsibilities of an attorney-mediator include:
- Explaining the nuances of family law
- Ensure all paperwork is completed accurately
- Checking finances for full disclosure
- Discuss potential points of contention
- Ease tensions and encourage collaboration
- Draft final divorce settlement agreements