Anne Leiper discusses how we ensure your privacy throughout your legal process.

At LGFL, we value our clients' privacy, and we take a number of steps to ensure that is as protected as it can be.

Point number one

At the very beginning we do enhanced conflict checks. This is to ensure that we know of any third party's involvement, including new partners. This ensures we are fully aware, and that there is no breech of confidentiality.

Point Number two

We always ensure there is an adequate time gap between our clients' appointments, so there is no risk of crossover. Any chance of crossover, parties are put into separate waiting areas. So you're not going to bump into your next door neighbour, and know that you've been here.

Point number three

We always advise that emails are checked for confidentiality before you give them to us to use. We always recommend never to use a work email address, and change passwords on your existing emails, or even set up a new email account, to ensure that nobody else has access.

Point number four.

We have two discreet office locations. Our Wyvols Court office is in a discreet country location, where lots of businesses are based. And similarly, our Reading office in Spaces is also full of other businesses. So nobody knows which office you're coming to see.

Please do not hesitate to call us for an appointment if we can help you.

Anne Leiper explains the benefits of collaborative law for you and your family.

Hello, I'm Anne Leiper from LGFL, and I want to explain to you how the collaborative family law process can help you and your family.

I'm a specially trained collaborative family lawyer. The process involves that each of you would have your own specialist collaborative lawyer by your side throughout the process.

It involves four-by-four-way meetings. That means that everybody is in the room together. You with your solicitor, collaborative lawyer, your former partner, with their solicitor, collaborative lawyer.

Consequently, all of the discussions are heard by everyone. It's therefor a very immediate, direct and powerful process. And it's specifically tailored to you and your family's needs. It's a very safe environment for the discussions to take place.

Additionally, whilst you're going through the process, both of you agree that you will not start court proceedings.

If you think that this is a process that can help you and your family, then please do give me a call.

Anne explains how mediation can help resolve your family law disputes in a safe environment.

Mediation is a way of resolving family law disputes between yourself and your former partner.

My role as a mediator is neutral. I'm a facilitator to help you and your former partner have those discussions directly between you, in a safe environment to do so.

It's a process whereby you each listen to each other and you hear the other party's point of view. Consequently, that can be very powerful and lead to much better, longer-lasting relationships between the two of you. You each understand where the other is coming from.

The advantages of mediation, therefore, are not limited to, but can include...

• Stronger relationships. So, it's much easier for those important future family events that are gonna inevitably come up, weddings, christenings, graduations.
• An agreement that you reach together is much stronger than one imposed by a court.
• Mediation is a much less destructive process than litigation.
• Third parties can be brought in if necessary and needed, such as financial advisors to assist in the process.
• Finally, it can be cheaper and quicker than court proceedings.

If you think this is a process that can help you and your family, then please do give us a call.

At LGFL, we offer a free initial consultation. I'm going to give you six reasons why you should book one.

Reason number one:

You have an opportunity to meet one of the Directors, i.e. me or Anne, in person.

Reason number two:

We very much view family law as a partnership with our clients. The law is the same. It's the individual approach that differentiates us.

Reason number three:

We give you an overview of your family law issues, and are able to give you some generic advice as to your family law problem.

Reason number four:

There's absolutely no obligation to instruct us, although most people who do attend our consultations do become our clients. It's also an opportunity to book a longer interview for a fixed fee.

Reason number five:

We can go through your options with you and the next future steps. We can also give you the associated costs.

Reason number six:

We can see you at your convenience either in our discreet countryside main offices or in our central Reading space. The decision is yours, so please do get in touch.

Our new video contains top tips from Director & Co-founder Rita Gupta on how to communicate with your ex-partner during a divorce.

One of the most common issues that I come across is clients telling me that they're finding it really difficult to communicate with their ex-partner. So, here's my top tips on how best to do it.

Tip number one:

Limit communications to what's actually essential and necessary. For example, the children.

Tip number two:

Be business-like and factual in any communication, whether verbal or written.

Tip number three:

Don't just hit the Send button. Reflect and be measured in all of your communications.

Tip number four:

Be really careful about remote communication such as text and emails. It's very easy to be drawn into a text war, which simply isn't appropriate.

Tip number five:

Don't discuss your private life on Facebook or other social media platforms. Not only is it completely inappropriate but it also could damage your case.

Tip number six:

Use calm and rational language. Avoid using antagonistic phrases which are simply there to provoke a reaction.

Our new video contains top tips from Director & Co-founder Rita Gupta on how to keep your legal costs under control during a divorce.

These are my top tips to keep your legal fees proportionate

00:05

TIP 1: Your lawyer is not your counsellor.

Don't use your solicitors meetings to denigrate your ex, or to offload on your solicitor. It's much better if you use those meetings to focus on the issues at hand.

At LGFL we say we listen with empathy, not that we listen with sympathy.

00:25

TIP 2: Prepare for meetings.

Set an agenda with your lawyer and make sure that all your documentation is ready.

00:33

TIP 3: Refrain from what I call email ping-pong.

Which is that you send a long email to your lawyer and then expect an equally long reply.

Often emails actually raise more questions than they answer.

That means that your costs are really inflated, and it's often much easier just to pick up the phone or set a one to one meeting.

00:53

TIP 4: No late night instructions.

Often they're an emotive reaction to something your ex-partner has said or done. It's much better that you reflect on the position and give measured instructions to your lawyer to action.

01:06

TIP 5: Set goals from the start.

Make sure you understand what your objectives are.

So, for example, if your main priority is to retain the former matrimonial home, you need to tell your lawyer that from the outset, because then the case is structured accordingly.

01:19

So there are my top tips for how to keep legal fees proportionate.