Whether I’m working as a family consultant or as a mediator, it is my standard practice to work as closely as possible with other professionals. It is important that good referrals are made between us so that we can best ascertain what our clients need. If you are thinking of referring a client to me, please do talk to me about what it is you’re looking for. Please also download my Referral Form which helps me understand more about what might be required. My default position is to ask all my clients for their consent to share relevant information with other professionals

As a family consultant, I can work at all stages of any process, not just as a neutral in a collaborative case. The following examples might be useful in determining when it might be useful to bring in a family consultant.

• In mediation – I can work outside or inside your process either supporting clients alongside the mediation or actually being present in meetings
• In solicitor-led negotiations – provide support so that clients are better able to give instruction and to make decisions
• In collaborative cases – in either a neutral or aligned role (working with another family consultant), work as part of the team, meeting with clients separately and together with you in 5-ways
• In arbitration – I can help prepare people, support them through and put in place what has been adjudicated or decided upon.
• In court proceedings – I can coach your clients so that they are best prepared for hearings; this might mean working on building their resilience or helping them with communication skills
• As a neutral chair – particularly useful in high conflict or technically complex cases, it can be very helpful for you to have a third pair of eyes.

In general, my role is to help people make their way through the process, to do some hand-holding and baton changing and importantly to keep clients on the journey. Close communication between us professionals also means that I can feed back regarding timings of meetings, suitability and let you know what clients need and when.

As a mediator, I expect to work with a team approach, which means that I will want to talk to you at the point of referral and throughout the process as required. I copy in lawyers on regular summary notes which helps keep you informed of what progress your clients have made – this will also highlight when I have recommended that they seek legal advice from you. If at any point any of us think that it would be useful for you to attend meetings, then that would be encouraged.

With financially complex cases, it is common practice for me to work with an independent financial planner who may join the mediation meetings or work alongside the process, seeing clients individually or together. I ask clients for their consent to share information openly between the professionals in order that we can best meet their needs.