FAMILY SOLICITOR: COOL OFF BEFORE LAUNCHING INTO POST-SUMMER HOLIDAY DIVORCE.

The number of North West couples divorcing post-summer holiday -- the second highest period after New Year for marriage splits -- could this year be higher than ever before.

Family solicitor Robin Charrot of Manchester-based George Davies Solicitors LLP says that his first post-holiday divorce case this year arose before the couple had even stepped off their return holiday flight.

"That could well be a sign of things to come -- there is tremendous tension amongst couples under financial pressure, and that means the traditional 'relaxing' summer holiday could be anything but that for families battling the stress of economic downturn, job worries -- and simply coping with being crammed together 24/7," said Robin Charrot.

Robin says that no matter how bitter the split, it is rarely a good idea for someone to immediately start court proceedings: they may have made the decision to part, but the full potential for aggression should be allowed to subside.

"Divorce is more often than not a once-in-a lifetime situation which comes about when the couple are feeling angry, hurt, sometimes betrayed, and people tend to think immediately about going to court -- but there are other options, not least collaborative law which means proceedings don't go anywhere near a courtroom, and can therefore stay both amicable and private," said Robin.

"I've seen so many people who, once they've reached the decision they want to divorce, go headlong into the legal process without actually weighing up what is going to be best long-term for their entire family.

"You need to get comprehensive advice of what the options are, and you need to get advice on what are the pros and cons of each of those routes -- how much each is going to cost, how long they're going to take to get to the end, is there any level of compulsion, and how much level of contention there's going to be in each of those options.
"You've got mediation, you've got collaborative law, and, if necessary, you've got the court process too."

But Robin says a non-adversarial collaborative law approach -- with which many couples are not familiar, but which involves discussion between parties in the presence of an impartial and specially-trained solicitor -- could cost far less and avoid the ill-feeling a courtroom encounter generates.

Ends
For further information:
Lindsey Farrelly
LindseyFarrelly@georgedavies.co.uk
0161 234 8802
07717 177609

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800
Notes to editor:
About George Davies Solicitors LLP: George Davies Solicitors LLP is a 19 partner law firm based in the heart of Manchester city centre. Established over 70 years ago it provides an extensive range of legal services to a national client base. Recent awards and accreditations include; ratings in independent legal directories - Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners UK; Winner of the Medium Law Firm of the Year 2011 in the Manchester Legal Awards; North West Employment Team of the Year in the Corporate INTL Magazine Awards 2010; adviser on the Deal of the Year sub £5million at the 2010 Insider Dealmakers Awards and is one of only five legal firms in the country to hold the Investors in People Silver standard.

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