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Merseyside lawyer backs ‘cup of tea’ approach to custody disputes

A recent High Court direction for feuding parents to settle their custody battle amicably has been endorsed by a Merseyside family law specialist.

In the case, a warring couple ended their ten-year litigation and decided to share custody after Mrs Justice Pauffley “talked tough” to them and suggested they should make each other welcome in their homes and sit down around the kitchen table to share a cup of tea for the sake of their children.

Carole Brennan, a mediator and partner at Morecrofts Solicitors, has welcomed this approach and says it demonstrates the need to focus on the needs of children and avoid an acrimonious litigation wherever possible.

Carole said: “When a couple goes through a divorce, their experiences are deeply affected and driven by the emotional state they find themselves in. Unfortunately, those emotions can often get in the way of finding the best way to move forward.

“Where children are involved, it’s crucial that both parents try to keep negative emotions out of the picture and ensure the needs of their children remain at the forefront wherever possible. That usually means communicating with each other calmly and remembering they were once on the same wavelength.

“Family lawyers are there to help make this happen. Their main focus is to identify issues, gather the right information and provide sound advice about how best to resolve them.

“Many couples now use mediation or collaborative law, which are designed to give a supportive, clear process and also make it a lot cheaper. This helps the couple to make their decisions based on what is best for them and their children in the long run.”

Morecrofts Solicitors has five offices across Merseyside, in Woolton, Allerton, Birkenhead, Crosby and Liverpool city centre, as well as an office in London.

For further information, please visit www.morecrofts.co.uk or email cb@morecrofts.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Dan Minchin .