What is Collaborative Practice?
Collaborative practice is a new approach to resolving issues arising out of relationship breakdown. It has become an integral part of the family law service at Anthony Gold. The couples and their lawyers agree not to go through the court system unless negotiations break down totally. We ensure the clients' needs, concerns and the best outcome for the family as a whole become the priority.

There is nothing new in simply resolving family disputes outside the courtroom - more than 90% of our family law cases are settled in this way. What is so different about the collaborative process is the participation agreement, which is signed by both clients and their respective lawyers at the start of the process. The couples and their lawyers agree not to commence court proceedings and to work together to find a fair and acceptable solution. This allows the couple to maintain control of their separation. 

How does it work?
There are a series of four way meetings which the clients and their respective lawyers attend together.

The couple dictate the timetable and the agenda so they are able to control the process at each stage.

A valuable feature of the process is that a couple can involve other professionals, such as child development specialists, accountants and actuaries, when their distinct set of skills add value and support to both the couple and any children.

Issues that are appropriate for collaborative practice:

• decisions about separation and divorce
• housing and property arrangements
• parenting arrangements
• financial support / maintenance
• pre- and post- nuptial agreements
• pre- and post- civil partnership agreements

Our collaborative lawyers:
The family law team at Anthony Gold has four Resolution-trained collaborative lawyers:

Kim Beatson is one of the most experienced collaborative lawyers in central London and has a wealth of experience in this area including international cases. Kim won the ADR (alternative dispute resolution) Practitioner of the Year Award 2011, which recognises the ADR practitioner who has demonstrated outstanding client services and ability.

Camilla Fusco trained as a collaborative lawyer in January 2009 and has a growing collaborative practice. She is an active member of the South East Solutions pod (ie. a group of collaborative lawyers) and lectures regularly on collaborative practice at the Italian Institute for Collaborative Law.

Margaret Hatwood qualified as a collaborative lawyer in 2007. Recently she was able to resolve a collaborative divorce case with substantial assets after just two "four way" meetings. The case was resolved within 10 weeks. Margaret is a co-founder of the Collaborative Solutions and South East Solutions pod (ie. a group of collaborative lawyers).

Nicola Gunn trained as a collaborative lawyer in 2005. She is based at the firm’s Streatham office and is a member of the South West London Collaborative pod.