Wendy Eves

Solicitor Mediator @Msb

I currently work as head of the family mediation department at MSB Solicitors. Family law is a rapidly expanding department within the firm and includes divorce, co-habitation disputes, children issues, domestic violence and child abduction. Each of our key fee earners specialise in a separate area and my remit is to develop and promote a first class mediation service within the family law department. I had considerable experience as a family lawyer before training to become an accredited mediator with the Family Mediators Association and Resolution. Since April 2014 it is a legal requirement that divorcing/separating couples attend a mediation information and assessment meeting before applying to the courts to resolve children or money issues. My work as a mediator involves child care proceedings as well as financial disputes. I believe a calm practical approach can help diffuse tense situations and encourage constructive discussion and negotiation. Even in complex cases of international child abduction where there may be conflicting international law, there is an increasing interest in the use of mediation as a means of resolution. Easy international travel, an increase in bi-cultural marriages and a high divorce rate combine to increase the incidence of international child abduction cases and MSB Solicitors are expanding their services in this area. Civil mediation generally offers a quicker, cheaper and less confrontational way of achieving resolution than the more conventional route via court proceedings. MSB Solicitors set up Mediation by Lawyers - a team of fully accredited and experienced mediators who have a clear knowledge of the area of law relating to your dispute and also up-to-date experience of current court decisions and practises which would impact on your case if it were to go to court. There is limited legal aid available for family law cases, and I am happy to offer our clients a fixed fee structure. Call me on 01•••••••40.