Mediation & Collaboration Services

Mediation: Helping you reach a mutually agreeable solution

Offering a lifeline to many families in the midst of separation and conflict, mediation involves using an impartial third-party (our family mediation lawyers) to guide you and your partner’s discussions over several sessions to help reach a mutually agreeable solution. We create a calm, informal environment where you feel comfortable working towards the best outcome for your family.

Mediation can be used at any time (although the sooner, the better) and in many situations – whether you are married / not married or have children / do not have children. Even if you feel that your relationship has gone past the point of repair, mediation can help.

Collaboration: Promoting a calm, pragmatic atmosphere

Collaboration works similarly to mediation in that it promotes a calm, pragmatic atmosphere where common ground is found. The aim is to maintain good relationships and, if the separation involves children, work towards a solution that is best for the family as a whole.

Where collaboration differs from mediation is that each party has a collaboratively trained lawyer representing them, unlike mediation which has one neutral mediator guiding discussions between both parties.

Is mediation for you?

Mediation is for you if you want to be in control of the outcome and not have decisions imposed on you by the courts, if you feel you would benefit from a non-judgemental, neutral third party guiding your discussions and offering advice and alternative ideas, if you are open to communicating and finding new solutions and if you want what is best for your family as a whole.

Is collaboration for you?

Collaboration can help you if you want to reach an outcome that is beneficial to the entire family, if you want to be in control of the outcome, rather than relying on the courts to make decisions, if you want to separate with dignity and avoid confrontation and arguments and if you are open to communication and looking for mutually agreeable solutions, if you are willing to be honest with each other about your financial situations and if you want to be respectful to each other and find a way that helps you co-parent successfully after separation.

In 2016, we were one of the first law firms in Scotland to become accredited Living Wage employers.
Shortlisted for Firm of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2022.
Winners of Corporate & Commercial Team of the Year and Family Law Team of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2020.
Our Real Estate team won the Property Team of the Year Award at the British Legal Awards in 2018.
Winner of SME of the Year at the Scottish SME Awards 2017, hosted by Scottish Business Insider.
Highly Commended for Commercial Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2016.
In 2019, MacRoberts achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification, a UK Government entry-level information security standard.
MacRoberts holds the ISO 9001:2015 certification for Quality Management, the most widely recognised quality management system standard in the world.
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MacRoberts is a member of IP Inclusive, a network of intellectual property professionals working to make our community more equal, diverse and inclusive.
We are active members of the PRIME Programme – an organisation that focuses on ensuring a career in law is open to talent from all economic and social backgrounds.
MacRoberts supports the Scottish Business Pledge, a values-led partnership between Government and business that is based on boosting productivity and competitiveness through fairness, equality and sustainable employment.
We are supporters of the Partnership for Change, a network of organisations and individuals who share a common ambition to improve diversity on boards and in senior leadership.
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MacRoberts was awarded enei's Silver TIDEMark for 2023. TIDE is enei's self-assessment evaluation and benchmarking tool which measures an organisation's overall approach and progress on diversity and inclusion.
MacRoberts is a Disability Confident employer, and are committed to disability equality across our firm.
MacRoberts fully supports flexible working practices and supports family-friendly working practices.
In 2022, MacRoberts received a Bronze Award in Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQI+ inclusivity in the workplace.
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MacRoberts is an Associate Member of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction trade association.