Ellisons has announced that three members of its Family Law team, Sally Ward, Samantha Chase and Samantha Markham, are now qualified to offer innovative approaches designed to help separating couples resolve issues without going to court.
The new approach, of ‘Resolution Together’ and the already established Collaborative Law, offer faster, less stressful alternatives to court and align with new non-court dispute resolution rules introduced in April 2024, requiring couples to attempt out-of-court resolutions, or potentially face penalties and financial sanctions if they have not made attempts at alternative resolution.
Lisa Dawson, Partner and Head of Family Law at Ellisons, commented: “I’m incredibly proud of our team’s ability to offer families a better way forward. Sally Ward and Samantha Chase are among the first lawyers in Essex and Suffolk trained in Resolution Together and Sally is also trained in collaborative law, alongside our colleague Samantha Markham. With court delays often exceeding 18 months, these new approaches save time, reduce costs and help our clients find amicable solutions for the whole family.”
Sally Ward, Senior Associate at Ellisons, added: “We try to identify the right path for each family, by discussing all the appropriate options available to them and hopefully helping them to decide together which resource they can access to deal with matters outside of court. Resolution Together allows one lawyer to work with both parties to find the best outcome for the whole family. Whereas collaborative law enables couples to retain their own lawyers while working together with other professionals, such as financial advisers, to craft personalised solutions. Both approaches put families in control, offering flexibility and reducing stress.”
