1 GC is delighted to celebrate the launch, on 18 July 2016, of IFLA’s Scheme for Arbitration in Children Cases.

Chambers has always been proactive in offering alternative dispute resolution, with a number of members being highly experienced mediators and several of our part-time judges and other senior members offering early neutral evaluation in financial and children cases.

Following this tradition, we have helped to lead the way in the development of arbitration in family law. Janet Bazley QC, was appointed last year by the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators as one of the 3 trainers (and the only family law barrister) for the children’s scheme. In that role, Janet has trained all those who are now accredited by the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators to undertake arbitrations in children cases and has also assisted in preparing course materials. Gilly Stanley successfully completed the first training course and is amongst the first group of lawyers to be accredited to conduct arbitrations.

Arbitration is an exciting alternative to court-based resolution of private law children disputes. Quick, binding and cost-effective, it will take much of the stress out of litigating issues about children. The scheme has been developed in consultation with all the relevant professional bodies and we think it likely that, like the financial scheme before it, it will win the approval of the judiciary.

We also offer arbitration in financial cases as part of the existing IFLA scheme.

For further information, please contact Paul Harris (Senior Clerk), Tim Dockrill (1st Junior Clerk) or Diane King (2nd Junior Clerk).