As opposed to the traditional approach to family law, which can consist of lawyers taking facts from clients and applying them to the law, Our Family in Two Homes focuses more on collaboration between parties.

The concept was originally developed in Canada by collaborative family lawyer and mediator Jacinta Gallant, who has granted Nicholes Family Lawyers and Resolve Conflict Family Lawyers permission to pioneer this approach to family law in Victoria.

Nicholes Family Lawyers partner Nadine Udorovic said that clients who choose to adopt the Our Family in Two Homes approach use a set of specially designed workbooks to answer questions related not only to typical family law issues that arise when people separate but also to ways to improve communication, trust, conflict resolution, goal-sharing and more.

“The workbooks, which are based on the Insight Approach to Conflict, are another tool in the kit to help parties communicate better by encouraging self-reflection at the start of the legal process and helping set the scene for dialogue as opposed to debate, for consensus not conflict,” she said.

“When this becomes the starting point for discussion, family law matters have the potential to be resolved more quickly, with less expense and reduced stress and anxiety — not only for the ex-partners, but also the children in the family.”

There are currently three workbooks in the series: Our Family in Two Homes — for people separating where children are part of the family; Our Family in a Few Homes — for separating couples with adult children; and Designing our Future Together — for couples who are moving in together, getting married, blending families, or looking for a relationship refresh or marital mediation.

Resolve Conflict Family Lawyers director Cathy Gale said that the approach would not suit everyone, both sides did not have to use it, and there may be situations where alternative approaches were more appropriate — but she was delighted to be able to offer it to clients as an option.

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“Our Family in Two Homes is grounded in the belief that with the right support, people can be empowered to make the best decisions for their new kind of family,” she said.

“The approach is also highly beneficial to family lawyers because — more so than in many other areas of law — a deep personal understanding of one’s clients is essential to success in our work.”