A LEADING Haverfordwest-based family lawyer has become one of only a handful of professionals to achieve a specialist family dispute resolution status.

JCP Solicitors family law expert Rhian Davies has recently been awarded the title of a collaborative lawyer – and is now one of only four collaborative lawyers in west Wales.

Rhian can now offer an alternative to court action for couples who have decided to divorce.

Instead couples can be helped to achieve a less acrimonious resolution by meeting face-to-face with collaborative lawyer representatives, avoiding stress of going through the courts.

“The ending of a marriage and the separation of a family can be an extremely upsetting time for the people involved, so I am happy to now be able to offer couples the option of resolving their separation via this more amicable route,” said Ms Davies.

“As part to the collaborative law process, both parties and their representatives will meet face-to-face and seek to work to a harmonious resolution with support and legal advice throughout.

“Central to the process is the upfront agreement by all parties to endeavour to resolve the issue without going to court and this commitment really does help to achieve the best resolution for the family involved.”

A former senior partner at Lowless and Lowless, Rhian has recently returned to regional law firm JCP Solicitors 19 years after originally training with the firm.

During her career Rhian has been a member of the Law Society children panel and advanced family panel.

JCP Solicitors is one of the largest independent law firms in Wales, with offices in Haverfordwest, Swansea, Cardiff, Fishguard and St Davids.