MIDLANDS law firm Higgs & Sons is throwing its weight behind a week-long event to help families resolve disputes without going to court.

It is supporting National Family Dispute Resolution Week, which runs until today, aiming to highlight the range of ways family disputes, such as divorce, separation and cases involving children, can be settled without the need for court action.

It has been organised by Resolution, a professional network of 6,500 lawyers and other professionals committed to a constructive and non-confrontational approach to family disputes.

Kelly Perks, an associate in Higgs & Sons’ family department, said there were a number of alternatives to court action, which could save families time, money and stress.

Ms Perks, a member of the Black Country Collaborative Group of Resolution, said: “Dispute resolution includes a range of settlement-seeking processes, including mediation, negotiation, conciliation, collaborative law and arbitration.

“In collaborative law couples sit down together with the help of their own solicitors and other neutral professionals such as accountants, financial advisers and family therapists, to work out their issues. They agree in advance that they will not resort to court action but, instead, sit down in a series of meetings to resolve the case.

“Other processes can involve using specially-trained mediators or independent arbitrators to bring about a settlement without all the worry and stress that going to court can produce.”

She urged anyone facing a family dispute to contact a Resolution member to see how they could benefit from the various options available to them.

Higgs & Sons work from two offices in the Black Country - Waterfront Business Park in Brierley Hill and Kingswinford.