Arbitration
Becket Chambers qualified arbitrators are able to help resolve disputes relating to children without having to go to court but resulting in a binding agreement which the court will recognise.
1Barristers
See BarristersBecket Chambers offers a family law arbitration service. Our arbitrators are qualified under the Institute for Family Law Arbitrators Scheme in relation to the new Children scheme.
Becket Chambers’ arbitrators are able to act in most private law children disputes, including:
- Contact disputes
- Disputes over which parent the children should live with
- Parenting disputes over such issues as medical treatment, schooling, change of surname etc.
Family arbitration is a highly flexible and effective method for dealing with disputes involving children, whether this is for the whole case or just one part of it. It is entirely confidential, saves time (there is no need to wait for a court date) and can be ‘tailor-made’ to suit the parties’ needs. It gives you more control over the process by allowing you to choose the tribunal, the timetable, the venue and the issues.
Decisions (Awards) can be made by an Arbitrator on narrow issues, do not necessarily have to involve full hearings and, in some instances, can be dealt with on paper. The Award is binding on the parties (with very limited means of challenging an arbitration in court) and so offers you a sense of certainty, unlike other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
You can choose to use arbitration at any point in family litigation, whether that is before proceedings have begun, or after. It is a very effective way to resolve issues when negotiations have stalled, and particularly useful where you have made substantial progress in agreeing matters, but are finding it difficult to agree on a particular issue.
Alternatively, the whole litigation process can be replaced with arbitration.
Any suitable venue can be used, and we have facilities to hold hearings at our Chambers in Canterbury or can arrange facilities in numerous alternative locations.
Barristers in the Arbitration Team are also available on a Direct Access basis.
Arbitration Barrister
Phillip Newton
Philip Newton is a qualified Family Law (Children) Arbitrator (‘the Children Scheme’), which means he can be instructed by parties to decide the issues between them. This avoids the need for court proceedings, and all the delays in the court system, and follows a process and timetable agreed by the parties while still resulting in a binding and enforceable decision.
