A family lawyer from Leeds will line up alongside speakers from around the world next month to share his specialist legal knowledge.

Norman Taylor, who works for Jones Myers LLP, a firm of divorce solicitors in Leeds , will speak at the third annual collaborative law conference in Leeds on 5 October. Norman has been practising family law for 37 years, and is an experienced collaborative lawyer with national recognition for his work in developing and promoting collaborative law in the region.

He says the annual Northern Lights conference helps equip collaborative lawyers with the expertise and skills to develop this specialist area of family law, which helps separating couples avoid the courts:

“Most people assume that if you separate or divorce it involves a court battle, but that’s not the case,” he says. Collaborative family law is still relatively new in the UK, but it is growing in popularity because it allows couples to separate without going to court.

“Instead, they each appoint a collaborative family lawyer, and hold a series of round table meetings where the key issues relating to their divorce or separation are discussed and agreement is reached, with legal advice on hand.”

Often, the lawyers will also enlist the help of other specialist family professionals – including financial advisers or life coaches – to help people through the financial and emotional aspects of their separation.

The Northern Lights conference in October will bring together lawyers and family professionals to hear from speakers including family law specialists from the USA and some of the UK’s most experienced collaborative family lawyers, alongside experts in child welfare, psychology, verbal and non-verbal communication.

The event is run by CFL North, a group representing collaborative family professionals across the north of England. The group was established in 2009 by divorce solicitors in Leeds to raise awareness of the collaborative process and to help practitioners develop their collaborative caseload.

Norman’s workshop will look at how the principles of hostage negotiation can be applied to round table discussions between separating couples and their lawyers. He says that while hostage negotiations and divorce settlement negotiations may appear to be polar opposites, there are techniques used by negotiators that collaborative family lawyers can utilise to positive effect to prevent or control a crisis in round table discussions:

“In a four-way meeting, when emotions are running high, it can sometimes be difficult to keep negotiations on track. The workshop will break down the negotiation tactics and techniques used in hostage situations, and look at how they can be applied by collaborative lawyers to support their clients through any emotional turbulence that arises during the negotiation process and reach the outcome that is right for them and for their families.”

For more information about collaborative law in the north of England, visit http://cflnorth.co.uk/

For further information, or to interview Norman Taylor ahead of the conference, contact Karen Nixon at The Partners Group on 01904 610077 or email [email protected]