Lawyer changes tactics to qualify in specialism

The field assists separated couples, helping them work together when ending their relationships.

Couples ending their marriages are being encouraged to avoid the confrontation and expense of the courtroom in favour of open communication.

In a bid to negotiate positive solutions, Portsmouth-based lawyer Debbie Bulmer attended certified body Resolution’s three-day course in London.

Debbie learned the emotional, negotiating and soft skills needed through role play and observation.

Debbie said: ‘It was a draining and exhausting course, but well worth the endurance.

‘Lawyers are naturally positional and argumentative on behalf of the client – it is the way we have been taught to think - with this training, collaborative lawyers are able to take a step back, see the family as a whole and find the best possible way of moving forward.

‘The openness, transparency and guided conversation of Collaborative Law is a fresh approach to helping couples stay on good terms after they separate, which is so important for any children involved.’