Mediation is a popular option for separating couples to resolve issues around the division of finances and arrangements for children. It can reduce conflict, as well as saving you time and money compared to court proceedings. We work closely with trusted mediators in Reading to help you prepare for mediation and make sure anything you agree through the process is fair.
At Clifton Ingram, we believe mediation can be a very effective choice for most people dealing with decisions around divorce and separation. While we do not offer mediation in-house, we do work closely with clients considering mediation so that they can enter the process with confidence and have independent oversight of any terms agreed.
We work with clients in the Reading area and further afield using family mediation in a wide range of circumstances, including where there are complex issues to resolve.
Our family mediators in Reading can assist with issues including:
- Advice on how mediation works and whether it is right for your circumstances
- Help preparing for mediation including advice on your rights
- Expert review of any agreement reached through mediation to ensure your best interests are protected
- Advice on alternatives to mediation
Why trust Clifton Ingram’s mediators in Reading?
- Our team is ranked for Family Law in respected client guide The Legal 500
- Each of our family law experts in Reading is a member of top family law network Resolution
- We have the experience to deal effectively with both straightforward and more complex matters
- Our team work strategically to support clients through the mediation process so they can achieve outcomes that meet their needs while avoiding unnecessary conflict
- We communicate clearly in plain English and will answer your questions promptly
Family mediation services
Advice on how mediation works and whether it is right for your circumstances
Our family law experts will be happy to talk you through how mediation works and what to expect. You can then decide if the process sounds like a good fit for your circumstances or whether you might prefer an alternative approach.
Help preparing for mediation including advice on your rights
If you are entering family mediation, our lawyers can advise you on your rights and entitlements, so you understand what your negotiating position should be and what a reasonable agreement might look like.
Expert review of any agreement reached through mediation to ensure your best interests are protected
As part of our family mediation arrangement services, we can review any agreement you have made in mediation. We will provide independent advice on its terms and what they mean for you, as well as whether we think a better agreement may be possible.
Advice on alternatives to mediation
If you believe mediation is not right for you, we can advise on alternatives, including private negotiations, collaborative law and court proceedings.
The family mediation process explained
There are various steps involved in family mediation:
Step 1: Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM)
You will need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to decide whether mediation is suitable for your circumstances. Even if you wish to forgo mediation and take matters to court, you will normally still need to show that you have at least considered mediation first (although an exception may be made in certain situations, such as where there is a history of domestic abuse).
At a MIAM you will meet a family mediator who will discuss the issues you need help with and how the process works so you can decide whether mediation might work for you.
Step 2: Deciding what type of mediation you want
Mediation will take place over a number of sessions. These can either involve both you and your former spouse/partner meeting with the mediator together, or you can opt for so-called ‘shuttle mediation’ where you and your former spouse/partner would be in separate rooms with the mediator moving back and forth between you.
Step 3: Attending mediation
You will agree a date for a first mediation session where you will begin to work on the issues that need to be resolved. The family mediator will not tell you what to do or what to decide, they will just be there to facilitate the process of you and your former spouse/partner reaching an agreement. The mediator can, if required, advise on points of law but they will not advise on whether a suggested course of action or agreement is ‘fair’.
Mediation normally takes place over around 3-5 sessions and you will agree at the end of each session if additional sessions are required.
Step 4: Reaching an agreement
If you can agree all necessary details, then the mediator will record what has been agreed in a written document called a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’. This is for your reference only and is not legally binding.
Step 5: Having your solicitor review the agreement
You should always get expert legal advice from your own family mediation lawyer on the terms you have agreed once mediation has concluded. This will help to ensure you fully understand the implications of everything you have agreed and that the agreement is fair to your interests.
Step 6: Making the agreement legally binding
It is strongly recommended that any agreement you reach through mediation is made legally binding by applying to a court for a Consent Order. This means that both parties would be bound by the agreed terms going forwards.
Step 7: Protecting yourself against future claims
If you were married or in a civil partnership with your former partner, then, as well as getting a Consent Order, you should also apply to a court for a Clean Break Order. This severs any financial link between you and your former spouse/civil partner preventing either of you making any financial claim against each other’s assets in the future.
Family law mediation fees
Our family mediators offering total transparency around costs. We can provide a realistic quote upfront and, in many cases, can assist clients to persue mediation on a fixed fee basis.
To find out more about our fees, please get in touch using the contact details below.
Contact our mediators in Reading
To discuss mediation with our experts in Reading, you can call us on 0118 978 0099. Our solicitors will move fast to find a solution personal to you.
Alternatively talk to someone now via our .