When couples separate, communications can break down quickly, and mismatched priorities make finding common ground incredibly difficult. Many couples understandably want to reach a decision on their own without a court or arbitrator taking the final decision out of their hands.
Resolution Together is a comprehensive client service that seeks to fulfil those needs by helping a separating couple reach an outcome together and, if they are parents, meet the needs of their children. The service allows a couple to work with the same single legal professional, rather than having to instruct their own separate representatives.
Our Resolution Together solicitors aim to help couples to divorce together and combine their focus into shared priorities.
Resolution First for family law represents and encourages everyone involved in the family unit. Likewise, it reinforces the responsibilities that come with being a parent and partner, ensuring that everyone can work together during a divorce.
Speak to our Resolution Together solicitors in Bristol, Bath and Bradford on Avon
For specialist legal advice on exploring Resolution Together, reach out to one of our Resolution Together solicitors today.
To arrange an initial meeting, whether that is in person or remotely, please contact our local offices in Bristol, Bath and Bradford on Avon or use our simple online enquiry form to request a call back.
Frequently asked questions about Resolution Together
What is Resolution Together?
Resolution Together is a service provided to a separating couple by one sole legal professional. Couples who use Resolution Together must give their fully informed consent to disclosing all relevant factual and financial information required.
The purpose is for both parties to reach a decision together with the help and insight of a single legal professional who can truly dedicate themselves to the couple’s circumstances and needs.
Who is Resolution Together for?
Separating couples who share a joint aim to resolve their disputes will likely benefit from Resolution Together. In particular, couples in a dispute over financial agreements and potential children’s matters will benefit from the out-of-court nature of a Resolution Together divorce as it minimises the involvement of third-party figures.
It is likely that Resolution Together will be unsuitable for couples where there have been any forms of abuse or safeguarding capacity concerns or where a significant power imbalance is involved.
Furthermore, if one or more suffers from addiction issues, or substantial mental or emotional health problems that render it inappropriate to perform negotiations, then alternative approaches may be discussed.
What is the Resolution Together process?
The first step is to reach out to one of our specialist solicitors, who will help you to determine whether using the Resolution Together service is right for you.
The Resolution Together criteria will be discussed with both parties present, and it will need to be determined that you and your partner both are committed to pursuing a conflict-free process and that nobody is being coerced or under threat of abuse.
An initial joint meeting will be held to help clarify mutual goals, to see what you can agree on versus where communication breaks down.
Then there will be individual meetings to address whether further joint communication will be fruitful and likely to result in safe collaborative discussion. If so, through subsequent meetings, both parties will have a chance to review agreements and decisions, which your solicitor will put into a contract for you both to sign.
Your solicitor will present this contract for court approval, and the service would be considered completed. If Resolution First proves unsuitable at any stage of the process, then alternative methods will be suggested and pursued.
Can a couple use their divorce lawyer for their Resolution Together process?
Yes, and there are advantages to using your divorce lawyer in the Resolution Together process. This is the reason for the One Couple One Lawyer approach, where your lawyer will know the ins and outs of your circumstances and can balance both of your needs fairly.
What is the difference between Resolution Together and other Alternative Dispute Resolution methods?
Resolution Together shares some similarities and processes with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, such as mediation, however, the idea is that the couple will not have to be in legal conflict (or dispute) in order to use the service.
All forms of ADR require a point of contention, but Resolution Together is an advice-based decision-making tool which holds both parties to the same regulations and commitments with the goal of reaching a decision together.
Is Resolution Together suitable for couples where abuse is involved?
All of the professionals involved remain under the same regulation when it comes to cases of abuse and are sensitive to the fact that a separation can heighten reactive emotions. They will have carried out the appropriate assessment on the volatility of the situation and the parties involved will have a sympathetic space where they are invited to share their experiences.
If the conflict cannot be appropriately resolved, or it is reasonable to expect that it would make the joint meetings unfeasible, then alternatives to Resolution Together would be discussed. Throughout the process, constant assessments will be made, and the appropriate actions will be taken to keep all involved parties protected.
What happens if Resolution Together proves unsuitable?
At each step of the process, you and your legal professional will assess the suitability of your continued process. If Resolution Together is deemed unsuitable for you and your former spouse, alternative methods, such as conciliation, mediation, or arbitration, will be explored. You will not be left at a loose end.
Why choose Sharp Family Law for help with Resolution Together
Sharp Family Law has one of the largest teams of family law professionals in the Bristol and Bath area. Our experts regularly oversee disputes and family matters, including complex matters involving finances and arrangements for children, helping to organise a future that addresses everyone’s needs.
Independent recognition for our family law expertise includes, but is not limited to:
- Being ranked by leading client guides the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners
- Having several of our team as members of Resolution– the professional network for family lawyers committed to taking a non-confrontational approach to family law
- Our Senior Partner Richard Sharp, who is a trained collaborative lawyer and family mediator in both the UK and the USA
If you’d like to find out more about our expertise, please take a look at our family law team.
Speak to our Resolution Together solicitors in Bristol, Bath and Bradford on Avon
For specialist legal advice on exploring Resolution Together, reach out to one of our resolution solicitors today.
To arrange an initial meeting, whether that is in person or remotely, please contact our local offices in Bristol, Bath and Bradford on Avon or use our simple online enquiry form to request a call back.