Family Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

What We Do

We have a strong family law practice and extensive experience in the area of conciliatory family law.

We appreciate that separation and family difficulties are some of the most stressful experiences that you will have in your life. The distress caused by the failure of a relationship, the worry about the future, the disappointment in one’s life partner, the disputes about money and children and all the resultant insecurity are very hard to bear.

To add to all of this, being involved in a legal process can make things much worse. For that reason, when you first come and talk to us, we will explore ways of dealing with the problems without bringing them to the Courts.  We will look at the following options for you:

Mediation

This is a method of Alternative Dispute Resolution. An independent mediator assists the parties to come to a voluntary settlement. It offers participants the opportunity to negotiate their own settlement which may be more flexible than court judgment.

Mediation is a confidential process and non-adversarial in style. It is driven by the parties and undertaken in good faith as a means of resolving their differences. A mediator is neutral, does not offer legal advice and does not adjudicate the rights or wrongs.

If agreement is reached, it is generally put in legal form in a Separation Agreement.

Collaborative law  

This is a new development which offers separating couples an alternative method for resolving family disputes. The aim is to resolve issues in a positive environment where the emphasis is on reaching a resolution that will work for everybody.  It is a four-way process where the separating couple sits down with their solicitors and everybody strives to achieve a resolution that will benefit the whole family.  For further information on collaborative practice check out https://acp.ie/

Negotiated separation agreement 

Very often, the solicitors for each party will be able to negotiate a separation agreement which is acceptable to both.

Family Law Courts

All of these methods require both parties to be very honest as to all matters including their assets, spending and income. If one party is not honest or an agreement can simply not be reached, it is difficult to avoid proceeding to Court. Here a judge of the family court will be asked to decide all matters and will have very wide discretion as to how assets are to be distributed.

The court process is unfortunately slow as it requires documentation to be exchanged in great detail and in a very formal way. Furthermore, it is generally quite expensive because of the time and documentation involved and the use of outside experts such as accountants, pension actuaries and barristers.

It is not the preferred option and we will do what we can to help you avoid this route. If it is unavoidable, we will be very clear in setting out:

  • What will happen
  • When it will happen and
  • How much it will cost

Your first step is to come and talk to us. We can have a look at what has happened and suggest solutions which will cause as little stress and expense as possible.

Helen Coughlan, head of our family law department, is a trained mediator and collaborative solicitor and very experienced in family law.

If, for whatever, reason you would rather a male solicitor, Niall Farrell, our managing partner who has extensive litigation and family law experience will deal with your case.

The service I received from Helen Coughlan was exceptional. My case was quite complex, and she guided me through from start to finish, was always there to answer any query I had and made everything less stressful for me. Her knowledge and professionalism is second to none and also on a personal level she cares about her clients and always made you feel at ease and cares about your wellbeing.

M.D., Family Law Client

Need Advice On Family Law Matters?
Let the Experts Stand By You.

At Patrick J Farrell & Company Solicitors, we understand the difficult and often personal nature of family law. With a legacy founded by Patrick J. Farrell and carried forward by a dedicated team, we have been advocates for justice for over four decades. Our commitment to putting our clients’ interests first, combined with our extensive legal expertise, makes us the ideal partners in your pursuit of justice.

From the moment you walk through our doors to the resolution of your case, you’ll be treated with the utmost courtesy, respect, and understanding. Choose us – where your well-being is our top priority. Reach out to us today and let our experienced solicitors guide you every step of the way.

Talk to a Family Law Expert

More Family Law Resources

Major Changes to Divorce Law

 Separation in Ireland

 Divorce Solicitors

 Maintenance

 Complex Family Law

 Cohabitation

 Facebook and Family Law

 Surrogacy and Irish Law

 Pre-nuptial Agreements

 The Gender Recognition Act 2015

 Rights for unmarried fathers, step-parents and grandparents