Round Table

A Round Table meeting is where lawyers and you feel it’s a good idea to meet ‘around the table’ or online together. Sometimes this is called ‘collab lite’ as the lawyers trained as Collaborative lawyers may feel your case isn’t suitable for collaborative process or one of you doesn’t. Although, often lawyers who aren’t collaboratively trained will suggest this; they will act as lawyers in the normal way and will be positional, tactical and won’t share their advice with everyone.

You May Use The Meetings To Decide The Following:

• the way forward in the case e.g. financial disclosure or appointment of experts and timescales for work to be done;

• to agree interim arrangements;

• to negotiate a settlement ‘in person’; and

• to sign off legally binding documents.

Make sure you ask both lawyers to sign up to a principled and ethical process. That all involved will be civilised and deeply helpful. You and your lawyers ought to sign up to a code of conduct at the outset.

Could This Work For Me?

Yes: it is helpful to have your lawyers (and both of you) in the room at the same time. It can cut down on misunderstandings and ensure that you are all agreed on the way forward and ultimately get a settlement.

No: if you simply can’t be in the same room, although this could be overcome with the use of separate rooms or online rooms. Maybe try hybrid mediation instead

Advantages

• Speed: it can be very quick.

• Can be cheaper as it cuts down on letter/email writing between the solicitors.

• If it doesn’t work you can still issue your application at court. But you will know by now that this is the least favourable option.

Disadvantages

• Unless the lawyers are collaboratively trained, they will behave as they normally do. This means they are likely to be tactical, positional and will not share their legal advice. This can make settlement less likely.

How Do I Prepare?

1. Do the homework set (e.g. financial disclosure) in good time for the meetings.

2. Do try to be open minded. Encourage your lawyer to work within the broad outcomes that are acceptable in family law. Don’t get hung up on your best case. You will both have a best case and they are rarely compatible.

What Other Non-Court Options Could This Be Used With?

Child Inclusive Mediation: to speak and listen to the children to see how they are and to feed back to you all.

Early Neutral Evaluation: if your lawyers disagree on the law or a fair settle- ment then instruct a neutral lawyer who will give a view of what they think a court would do.

Private FDR: if you have all the information you need you could agree to get the view of a private FDR judge.

Arbitration: you may not be able to agree on some or all issues. An arbitrator can be appointed to make a legally binding award (which is then converted to a court order).

A Round Table meeting is where lawyers and you feel it’s a good idea to meet ‘around the table’ or online together. Sometimes this is called ‘collab lite’ as the lawyers trained as Collaborative lawyers may feel your case isn’t suitable for collaborative process or one of you doesn’t. Although, often lawyers who aren’t collaboratively trained will suggest this; they will act as lawyers in the normal way and will be positional, tactical and won’t share their advice with everyone.

You May Use The Meetings To Decide The Following:

• the way forward in the case e.g. financial disclosure or appointment of experts and timescales for work to be done;

• to agree interim arrangements;

• to negotiate a settlement ‘in person’; and

• to sign off legally binding documents.

Make sure you ask both lawyers to sign up to a principled and ethical process. That all involved will be civilised and deeply helpful. You and your lawyers ought to sign up to a code of conduct at the outset.

Could This Work For Me?

Yes: it is helpful to have your lawyers (and both of you) in the room at the same time. It can cut down on misunderstandings and ensure that you are all agreed on the way forward and ultimately get a settlement.

No: if you simply can’t be in the same room, although this could be overcome with the use of separate rooms or online rooms. Maybe try hybrid mediation instead

Advantages

• Speed: it can be very quick.

• Can be cheaper as it cuts down on letter/email writing between the solicitors.

• If it doesn’t work you can still issue your application at court. But you will know by now that this is the least favourable option.

Disadvantages

• Unless the lawyers are collaboratively trained, they will behave as they normally do. This means they are likely to be tactical, positional and will not share their legal advice. This can make settlement less likely.

How Do I Prepare?

1. Do the homework set (e.g. financial disclosure) in good time for the meetings.

2. Do try to be open minded. Encourage your lawyer to work within the broad outcomes that are acceptable in family law. Don’t get hung up on your best case. You will both have a best case and they are rarely compatible.

What Other Non-Court Options Could This Be Used With?

Child Inclusive Mediation: to speak and listen to the children to see how they are and to feed back to you all.

Early Neutral Evaluation: if your lawyers disagree on the law or a fair settle- ment then instruct a neutral lawyer who will give a view of what they think a court would do.

Private FDR: if you have all the information you need you could agree to get the view of a private FDR judge.

Arbitration: you may not be able to agree on some or all issues. An arbitrator can be appointed to make a legally binding award (which is then converted to a court order).