First for Jersey Advocate

Friday 21 February 2014

Partner and the Head of Family Law at Hanson Renouf, Advocate Barbara Corbett, has qualified as the Island’s first family arbitrator.

Advocate Corbett is a member of Resolution, the national organisation of family lawyers and other professionals committed to non-confrontational divorce, separation and the constructive resolution of family problems. In addition to being a family arbitrator, she is also a collaborative lawyer, specialist children’s lawyer and is both a family, and a civil and commercial mediator.

Family arbitration is a process in which clients place decision making in the hands of an arbitrator who is the equivalent of a judge, but doesn’t involve court proceedings. There are several advantages of using an arbitrator, who can deal with all of the issues arising from family breakdown or alternatively limit their involvement to one or two specific aspects. The process is completely confidential and the process is quicker and more cost effective than going through the court.