Family Law in Partnership has been ranked Tier 1 for Family Mediation yet again in the most recent edition of Legal 500 UK (2020) – Top Tier in Legal 500 UK 2020.
Legal 500 UK 2020 comments that Family Law in Partnership “has real strength in depth in the team with 14 family mediators who can assist on the full spectrum of family law matters. It offers all types of family mediation including sole and co-mediation as well as child-inclusive mediation. It has four mediators who are trained to act in the civil/commercial modes of mediation and also does mediation in cases involving child abduction. Its clients are drawn from varied backgrounds and include celebrities, City professionals and middle-income to high-net-worth individuals. Its mediation team has been described as ‘pioneering and market-leading’. Head of the practice Dominic Raeside is an ‘outstanding mediator’”. Legal 500 refers to “The stand out mediators in the firm…with vast experience and… a high level of referral work from the “Magic Circle” firms”.
Our Leading Mediators, according to Legal 500 UK 2020
- Dominic Raeside: (Head of Mediation and Co-Founder of Family Law in Partnership)
Legal 500 UK 2020 comments: “Dominic Raeside is one of the “go-to” mediators in London, if not in England and Wales, for high-conflict mediation clients. He has a huge armoury of mediation skills which can deal with the most complex relationship breakdowns and children issues”.
Dominic’s practice is focused on helping couples reach a consensus about their future as it relates to their children, finances and housing. Dominic mediates both domestic and cross border family disputes including international child abduction, access and custody cases. Having worked for many years in the Courts advising the judiciary in contested children’s matters and previously having worked in the field of adult psychiatry, Dominic has a range of skills, knowledge and experience which he uses to help his clients to reach agreement. His work has earned Dominic a reputation as one of the most experienced and respected mediators in the country – many of his mediation clients are referred to him by the top family lawyers in the country.
Other expertise: Formerly Family Mediator member of the Family Justice Council. Dominic is also a UKCP registered family and systemic psychotherapist and sees clients in conjunction with his lawyer colleagues where he offers consultation on the child related, emotional and psychological aspects of divorce and separation. Dominic was the mediator member of the Pensions Advisory Group and a member of the Family Mediation Task Force which made recommendations to improve the family mediation services in England and Wales. He is a member of the Ministry of Justice’s Voice of the Child Advisory Group. Dominic is also a member of the MiKK pool of qualified cross border family mediators and a member of the Cross Border Family Mediators Network. Dominic is a qualified Parenting Coordinator.
Client quotes include: “A sincere thank you for your wonderfully calm, even-handed, reassuring and wise help during our recent mediation”.
2. Ruth Smallacombe: Mediator, Family Consultant and Co-Founder of Family Law in Partnership
Ruth’s expertise covers the full spectrum of family issues ranging from divorce and separation (including finance and housing matters) to children matters (including residence and contact issues, international relocation of children and schooling) and mediation in relation to pre- and post-nuptial agreements, civil partnership and cohabitation agreements. She offers preparation and support to couples about to embark on mediation with other firms or court proceedings.
Other expertise:
Ruth also acts as a family consultant and sees clients in conjunction with her lawyer colleagues, including collaborative lawyers, where she offers consultation on child related, emotional and psychological aspects of divorce and separation. Ruth is an experienced counsellor with a depth and breadth of knowledge in this field and can offer couple counselling, when appropriate.
Ruth is a former chair of the Family Mediators Association (FMA) and is a member of the FMA board. She sits on a number of professional committees, including the Voice of the Child Advisory Committee, and is involved in lecturing, charity work and further developing interdisciplinary co-operation for the benefit of families. Ruth is a founder member of Gay Family Lawyers, a service for gay couples and families.
Client quotes include: “Excellent, empathetic, with a detailed knowledge of the different emotional issues that clients experience during separation and divorce”.
Other leading mediators at Family Law in Partnership highlighted by Legal 500 UK 2020:
3. David Allison: Director
Legal 500 UK 2020 comments: “David is superb – he grasps the issues quickly, is no nonsense, genuinely cares about the clients and is excellent value for money”.
4. James Pirrie: Director
Legal 500 UK 2020 comments: “James Pirrie goes above and beyond to think through the answer for clients. He works incredibly hard and should be very proud of his output. He is a real thinker. Very balanced and fair.”
5. Gillian Bishop: Consultant
Legal 500 UK 2020 comments: “Gillian Bishop is truly refreshingly committed to resolving family disputes as constructively as possible”.
To find out more about the family mediation services that we offer at Family Law in Partnership click here or view our mediation brochure. If you would like to find out more about family mediation, how it works and how it can benefit separating families, please contact any of our mediation specialists on T: 020 7420 5000 or E: hello@flip.co.uk.