Jonson Leo

The longer a family dispute runs, the more it costs. Not just financially, though the costs mount quickly, but in terms of the time it consumes, the stress it generates, and the damage it can do to the relationships that survive a separation. Most disputes do not need to run as long as they do. With the right legal knowledge and the right strategy, most can be resolved far more efficiently.

As family dispute lawyers in Chadstone, we focus on getting people to a resolution as directly as possible. That means giving clients a realistic legal picture from the outset, identifying the right process for their situation, and being ready to negotiate effectively at every stage.

The cost of negotiating without information

The most common reason family disputes become protracted is that one or both parties do not have a clear understanding of what the law would actually do with their matter. Without that reference point, positions become entrenched. People fight for outcomes they could never have achieved in court, or they accept outcomes that are far worse than what they were entitled to.

We fix that from the first conversation. Every Chadstone client leaves our initial consultation with a clear sense of their legal position, what is realistic, and what a sensible settlement looks like. That clarity changes the dynamic of every subsequent negotiation.

Negotiation

The right form of negotiation depends on where things stand between the parties and what stage the matter has reached. At its simplest it is a direct conversation between lawyers, with both clients properly informed and both working toward a realistic outcome. At a more structured level it involves a round table conference with clients and lawyers present and all the relevant information on the table.

We use the form of negotiation that fits the situation and we are candid with clients about when a different process is likely to serve them better.

Mediation

Mediation brings an independent, experienced third party into the process to help both sides reach an agreement they can live with. The mediator does not decide anything. They create the conditions for the parties to make their own decisions. It is flexible, it can run as a series of shorter sessions or a concentrated day, and it keeps control of the outcome where it belongs.

We prepare Chadstone clients thoroughly for mediation and we connect them with mediators whose experience and skills are well matched to the type of dispute being resolved.

Case conferences and conciliation

Once proceedings are filed, structured resolution processes become available within the court system at no significant additional cost. A case assessment conference with a court-appointed Registrar resolves a large proportion of the matters that reach it. A conciliation conference, which follows for those that do not settle, carries a high settlement rate and provides access to a focused three-hour session with an experienced Registrar. Both represent excellent value for the outcomes they produce.

Sometimes court is unavoidable

Some disputes genuinely require a judge to decide. Where a former partner refuses to engage honestly, where the legal issues are genuinely complex, or where the stakes are high enough that a compromise is not in our client’s interest, we take the matter to court prepared and confident.

Our exclusive focus on family law means we know how to build cases that are clear, well-evidenced and persuasive in front of a judge.

Talk to a family dispute lawyer in Chadstone

Whether your dispute is just beginning or has already gone on longer than it should, we can help you find a more direct route to resolution.

Call us on 03 9793 7888 to book a free initial consultation.