What will it cost?

Mediation

The Public spending cuts announced by the coalition government look set to hit almost every sector in the country.Legal Aid is under the spotlight, it provides access to the legal system for family cases involving children and financial disputes.We have the most expensive legal aid system in the world so it is not difficult to see why the government wants to cut the legal aid budget.Fewer will be eligible and in general this will lengthen the time cases take , as judges have to bend over backwards to ensure that unrepresented parties understand the proceedings and are not disadvantaged by being opposed by a qualified lawyer.
The governments response is to encourage mediation.Mediation is generally a good thing, though it is not always readily understood.Many believe that mediation is like going to court and ask what they do if they don’t like the mediators decision.In fact mediation is a consensual process and either party can walk out and end the process at any time.Judges like mediation and encourage litigants to mediate their claims with the threat of costs sanctions for anyone who refuses to do so.This means that a party who wins in court can still end up paying costs if they have refused to mediate.

Mediation as a process has a very high chance of success, in the order of 80%. Parties have to be able to pay the Mediator. If the case does not settle then the money is lost. If Legal Aid were not available because of government cuts or because it is not available due to the disposable income of a party being over £730 per month, the private costs are usually around £150 per hour per person. We do not provide legal aid. Private mediation services vary in their charging rates. We charge £100 per hour for all work done with or for a couple having mediation. A Family Solicitor charges at least £150 per hour per client. The difference being that in Mediation you are only paying one set of fees rather than two ie if you each consulted a Solicitor you would be costing your family at least £300 per hour. In Mediation together you would be saving £200 per hour.

One thing is certain:if the case goes to trial, one or possibly both parties will be disappointed by the outcome.At least with mediation you stand a better chance of ending up with a settlement which may not be ideal but at least will be one you can live with.Going down the traditional route of each instructing solicitors the cost to each party (which really means the cost to your family) is in the order of £3000-£4000.The likely cost of mediation is less than half this amount.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy for couples is charged at the rate of £50 per hour, and for individuals £35 per hour.

Suffolk Mediaton is a member of the Family Mediators Association