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Ruthin solicitor one of just four in Wales qualified in new divorce law
A Ruthin solicitor has become one of only four in North Wales qualified in a new form of divorce law that minimises the pain involved for couples and their families.
Rachel Wynn Jones, a partner with Walker Smith Way, has trained in collaborative law, which was first introduced in California where it has succeeded in making many separations more amicable.
Rachel, who lives with her farmer husband near Ruthin, has been a solicitor for 12 years, specialising in divorce and child-related issues.
She says collaborative law offers couples a less stressful way of agreeing on the detail of their separation.
"With the more traditional process if, say, the wife believes the house is worth more than the valuation proposed by her husband, then she has to tell me, I write to the husband's solicitor, who then writes to the husband asking 'do you agree to this higher valuation?' It is long and drawn out, involving lots of formal letters, which can cause further distress.
"With collaborative law we all get together in a room, without a judge, and negotiate a valuation which suits both parties.
“The only people in the room are the couple and each of their solicitors.
"It's a simplistic analogy and obviously there is a lot more to discuss than one issue, but key to it all is that collaborative law allows the parting couples to feel more actively involved in decision making.
"It takes place in a less pressured environment away from the courtroom with the parties and their solicitors sitting together and talking."
On collaborative divorce law cases she works in co-operation with Alison Brebner, one of the few other solicitors in North Wales offering the service, based at Allington Hughes, Wrexham.
"Meetings take place at the clients' own pace, so they feel more in control," said Rachel.
She added: "The process can be emotionally challenging and exhausting even for solicitors, but the feedback from couples so far has been positive."
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