Partner Article

Further expansion for Dovetail Divorce family professionals group which champions collaboration

Family lawyers and collaborative professionals from firms including hlw Keeble Hawson are expanding a group which is committed to help separating couples keep divorce proceedings out of court.

The firm’s head of family law, Vanessa Fox, is a member of Dovetail which was launched in 2015 by IFA Robert Cresswell and divorce coach, Clare Walters, and comprises collaborative lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, financial advisers, relationship coaches and counsellors.

Operating across Sheffield, Doncaster, Leeds, Wakefield, Harrogate and Bradford, the not for profit organisation - which helps couples seeking to end a relationship to explore the alternatives to court and decide which suits them best - is further increasing its membership and geographical reach.

Hailing from Harrogate, Huddersfield and York, new members are likewise highly experienced in supporting couples to part amicably after negotiating fair agreements on sharing assets and child care access. They also assist them to cope with the emotional fallout of a split.

Commended for its: “High-quality, practical family law advice with a good range of alternative dispute resolution options” in the latest Legal 500 guide, hlw Keeble Hawson’s family law department encourages its clients to consider mediation and other collaborative methods to resolve their differences. Both Vanessa Fox and senior associate, Antony Ball, who heads the Doncaster family law team, have trained as mediators.

Said Vanessa: “It’s tremendous to witness Dovetail Divorce go from strength to strength as more family law professionals with a shared ethos of promoting the collaborative model come on board.

“Collaboration means each partner still has legal advisors and other professionals working to ensure their best interests and outline realistic expectations so they can understand what a reasonable settlement will be. Expanding the group’s reach enables us to help even more couples to work towards a solution and focus on the future, which is vital, particularly if children are involved.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by hlw Keeble Hawson LLP .