Why bother with Family Mediation Week?

There are so many reasons to dive 'head first' into this year’s Family Mediation Week - 16-20 January 2023. Aside, that is, from the free professional development hours…

Maybe you’ve been thinking how you can incorporate more mediation into your law practice given the simply awful state of our family courts? If not, I’d recommend that you do. The President of the Family Law Division keeps saying to try ‘(Almost) Anything But Family Court’.

So many practitioners I know are upset and unhappy that they can’t really help their clients using the traditional court process in the way they used to. Time to challenge ourselves, change and be happier.

The President of the Family Law division in 2022 did encourage mediators to get our message out there after all! We do need to make mediation ‘sexier’ not just to you as solicitors but also to your clients.

Family Mediation Week is an attempt to do just that. Many of the sessions are aimed at the public – so do refer your clients to them if you can. More sessions are aimed at you, the solicitor practising on the coal face of family law.

We have Lord Bellamy to open the week on Monday 16 January at 10.30 am. I’m hoping there will be a shocking, new and hopeful announcement; full disclosure - I have absolutely no idea but I live in hope.

Thereafter, there’s a smorgasbord of tempting delights to take your fancy. To be fair, Family Mediation Week is not just about mediation. Here’s a taster menu:

• Why isn’t mediation flying off the shelf?
• What are young mediators thinking?
• Is a divorce team only for the wealthy?
• What are the barriers to mediation?
• A practical guide to Early Neutral Evaluation.
• Information on MIAMs.
• Mediation with Arbitration.
• More about the solicitor neutral (one solicitor: one couple) role and mediation.
• And so much more…including a drinks reception if you are in or can get to Leeds on Friday 20 January.

There’s more than 30 hours of training – much of it is interactive – so you can ask questions to get the most out of each session. I hope to see many of you there.

Events and timetable can be viewed here - do book your places.

Jo O’Sullivan is founder and principal of O’Sullivan Family Law Ltd and author of (Almost) Anything But Family Court. She is a recent addition to the Family Mediation Week steering group