Ken Heffernan Family Law solicitor attended the International Collaborative Law Conference opened by then President Mary McAleese in Cork.
Ken reports that the Attorney General, Paul Gallagher SC, who attended the conference, recognised the limitations of the traditional adversarial system for Family Law disputes and has been convinced that the Collaborative Law model provides a better option. Ken holds out hope that this recognition will be followed by appropriate government changes to family law legislation in the near future.
The heart of Collaborative Practice is to offer you and your spouse or partner the support, protection, and guidance of your own lawyers without the threat of going to court.
The pioneer of Collaborative Law, Stu Webb, told the Conference that Collaborative Practice promotes respect and keeps spouses in control of the process, not judges. It addresses each couple’s unique concerns, as opposed to court-based litigation, in which the general rule of law is applied to all cases.
The heart of Collaborative Practice is to offer you and your spouse or partner the support, protection, and guidance of your own lawyers without the threat of going to court. Additionally, Collaborative Practice allows you the benefit of child and financial specialists and other professionals all working together on your team.
The Conference also heard from other experienced practitioners that because clients agree not to go to court, the process is more open and less adversarial. Communication throughout the process is enhanced and this can lay the foundation for a healthier relationship after a separation/divorce.
Ken is pleased to be able to offer his clients what he and his colleagues at the Conference call a revolutionary way to approach family conflict.
Ken is a member of the Irish Association of Collaborative Practitioners and Resolve – the Cork Collaborative Family Law Group which provide information for and promotes the use of Collaborative Practice in Family Law issues.