Good Divorce Week

By Tamara Glanvill

Partner

01 December 2022

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It’s good divorce week. That may seem a misnomer for many people as divorce often brings with it a great deal of sadness, but as family lawyers, we can help to limit the impact.

What does a good divorce look like?

It’s undoubtedly different for different people but I have the peculiar catbird seat of having experienced my parents’ good divorce and have led hundreds of my clients through their own good divorce over the course of my career.

Some common themes emerge:

• Respect for one another.
• Identifying shared values and shared goals early.
• Where there are points of difference look at it from the others perspective (most easily done by listening).
• Focus on the needs of children rather than self; where there are children involved recognise that you are modelling good/bad behaviour.
• Understand that compromise is inevitable.
• Don’t try and punish the other.

I have remained surprised by how much my parents’ divorce has continued to raise its head as I have navigated my own life (I accept probably more than most as I work in this field) but I remain eternally grateful to them that it is not with a heavy heart; I am sure I was shielded from their inevitable pain but they both moved on to happier marriages and continued to co-parent until my father’s death. There was never any question as to who should be at my wedding/graduation/milestones.

A ‘Good divorce’ is possible if there is a will. The growth of offerings from lawyers such as mediation, collaborative law, and one lawyer services mean that we can support that very noble aim and keep cases out of court. All of the solicitors at Taylor Walton are members of Resolution and committed to navigating the options with our clients to help find what a good divorce looks like for them and their family.

If you would like to explore your options with myself, Tamara Glanvill or one of our experienced family lawyers, please get in touch via email or call your nearest office.

Disclaimer: General Information Provided Only
Please note that the contents of this article are intended solely for general information purposes and should not be considered as legal advice. We cannot be held responsible for any loss resulting from actions or inactions taken based on this article.