As head of our family law team Rachael advises on all family issues including those relating to cohabitation, pre-nuptial agreements, financial settlements, pensions, civil partnerships, children and divorce. Her clients are not only throughout the Thames Valley and South West but also London due to her ability to offer the same level of specialist advice without charging London prices.
Rachael is committed to ensuring that clients are advised about all of the process options available to them. These options are:-
- Clients agreeing between themselves what their agreement/settlement is. In this situation, the client will just need help incorporating the agreement into a legally binding document.
- Clients deciding that they want to use mediation to help them reach agreement.
- Clients deciding collaborative practice, ‘no court divorce or separation’ (also an extremely effective method to use to agree pre-nuptial settlements) is the most suitable option.
- Clients choosing the more traditional approach of lawyer led correspondence, meetings and negotiation that will often lead to an agreement. If it does not, the lawyer will support the client through the court process that will be necessary to achieve resolution.
Rachael is renowned for her empathetic approach and is a firm believer in the benefits for some clients of collaborative practice. This form of no court divorce is rapidly becoming the preferred option for those who wish to remain in control of the separation process and resolve disputes respectfully. It also helps clients create positive new beginnings.
Rachael qualified in 1996 and is nationally accredited by Resolution (previously the Solicitors Family Law Association) as a specialist family lawyer. She is also a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) and is actively involved in both the local and regional committee of collaborative family lawyers. She contributes articles to various publications, gives seminars and is a part of the national collaborative training faculty and also the collaborative marketing committee at Resolution.
Rachael is ranked as a leader in the field of family law by the Chambers directory.