Separation and divorce can be difficult, stressful and traumatic for those involved, creating emotional, lifestyle and financial complications.  This can lead to a sense of uncertainty, confusion and loss.

We provide guidance through the various financial issues and provide the support needed to move forward.

The Harridge Group within Separation & Divorce

We act as a Financial Neutral to assist you navigate the financial consequences associated with separation and/or divorce.  We work closely with your lawyer through this process to provide the financial perspective and illuminate the various financial elements that should be considered to ensure a positive outcome.

We assist you to:

-    Understand your options for dividing assets, investments and superannuation including the associated financial consequences

-    Determine how much it will actually cost to set up and maintain two households

-    Identify the pros & cons associated with difficult decisions…  so you can make the right decision for you and your family

-    Confirm how much money you have vs how much you need…  and how any shortfalls can be managed

-    How to fund specific expenditure items (such as children’s school education)

-    Plan for the future

We act as your resource so you can answer difficult questions;

1. Am I going to be OK?

2. Can I afford to pay my bills?

3. What should I do with the settlement?

Collaborative Practice

Collaborative Practice is an approach to divorce and separation designed to keep you out of Court and focused on reaching a settlement.  The process draws on the skills of collaborative professionals in a team approach designed to assist you to reach lasting solutions.

A distinguishing feature of Collaboration is the written agreement not to go to Court. 

Collaboration came to Australia in 2004 and is practised extensively in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe.

Unlike Court based processes and more traditional negotiations, Collaboration is non-adversarial in nature.  In Collaborative Practice the parties and collaborative professionals, including lawyers, a financial adviser, and if required, a communication professional and child specialist, work together to reach the best possible solutions for you and your family.

How is Collaborative Practice different

Collaboration is different from the other dispute resolution processes available to separating couples.  Collaboration is centred around you and your family and is controlled by you and your family.  You set the agenda and decide what is most important for you to achieve.

It is based upon constructive communication and requires the active participation of the all parties focused on the combined needs and interests of you, your partner and your family.

Collaborative Practice requires that you and the Collaborative Professionals agree not to go to Court.  In the event that the matter is not resolved within the Collaborative process, the professionals (including your lawyer) are unable to represent you in any subsequent Court proceedings.  Ultimately you would be required to appoint new lawyers if the Collaborative process broke down.  This provides an additional incentive to resolve the matter without going to court.

Why use Collaborative Practice

Most people would be familiar with the traditional litigation model of resolving disputes, and would agree that courts are generally not the best place to resolve family disputes.  Disputes often escalate within a combative litigation model.

Unlike mediation, Collaboration gives the you the benefit of immediate legal advice, along with financial advice and psychological guidance at the table, to support you to find your own solutions.  The inclusion of lawyers gives clients assurance that the resolution they have achieved can be written into an appropriate legally binding document, which is not always the case with mediation.