The lawyers at Brisbane Family Law Centre take a different approach to resolving matters. As a collaborative practice, they aim to work together with their clients and resolve disputes without going to court.

Brisbane Family Law Centre, headed up by lawyer Clarissa Rayward, follows a collaborative law model using face-to-face dispute resolution methods and the assistance of non-legal professionals, rather than traditional court-based methods.

"The idea behind [collaborative law] is that couples sign at the outset of a matter, in essence, a contract that says they won't go to court and that they'll do everything they can to negotiate in good faith," Rayward explains.

Rayward opened the firm in June 2008, after practising in family law since her admission and reaching partner level at another firm.

"I wanted a bit of a new venture. I specifically wanted to start a firm that focused on keeping clients away from the court process as much as possible," Rayward explains.

Through this alternative approach, Rayward has managed to achieve what she set out to do with less than five per cent of the firm's matters involved in the court process.

"In my view we have achieved what I wanted to achieve. And I think we're attracting clients that want that," she says.

Still a relatively new concept, Rayward says there is a push in Queensland towards this form of dispute resolution and as a board member of Queensland Collaborative Law, Rayward is keen to promote it further.

"It's a process that I love because it's all face-to-face negotiations and it's really client driven as opposed to solicitor-based," Rayward says.

With just two lawyers on board, and in the process of hiring a third, Rayward says she has about eight staff in total with a lot of part-time and casual staff, as part of her aim to achieve a family-friendly workplace.

And next on the agenda for Brisbane Family Law Centre is a move to a bigger premises plus a transformation into a multi-disciplinary practice.

Thinking outside the box, Rayward explains how she has always used other non-legal professionals, such as psychologists and financial planners, but now, after outsourcing these professionals, Rayward has decided to do something different and bring them onsite so clients are able to "see everybody in one place".

"I really see the benefit to my clients of having those professionals working with me on their matter....I firmly believe those other practitioners offer real value to my clients in areas where I can't."

Facing a busy time ahead, Rayward takes it in her stride as she loves a challenge. "It's all a challenge but I like that," she says. "I love business - I'm a lawyer but I love business and that's what really drove me to open my own firm."

And not one to take a break, the self-confessed workaholic is also opening a coffee shop right next door to her firm's new premises, to feed her love of coffee and just for a bit of fun on the side.

Briana Everett