The Scottish Legal Aid Board is responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland. Legal aid allows people who would not otherwise be able to afford it to get help for their legal problems. In family law, there are two types of legal aid: advice & assistance and civil legal aid.

Advice & Assistance

Advice & assistance covers the cost of meetings with your solicitor and letters or telephone calls in connection with your case before a court action is raised or defended.

Civil Legal Aid

Civil legal aid, on the other hand, deals with raising or defending a court action.

Do I qualify...

Find out if you qualify by clicking on the links below which will take you to the Scottish Legal Aid Board's website.

• Do I qualify for legal advice & assistance?
• Do I qualify for civil legal aid?

Collaborative Family Law is a recent development in family law in Scotland. It is designed to help separating couples find a better and dignified way of sorting out the issues that arise on their separation. The emphasis is on team work with the couple and their collaborative lawyers all meeting together to find solutions which suit the couple and their own family.

Openness and honesty are key elements in the process as are respect for each other and looking for solutions not problems. An agreement is signed at the start of the process setting out very clearly what the principles are that must be adhered to.

Collaborative lawyers are highly trained in  family law, the collaborative  process and mediation skills. Their job is to settle the case and to find  a win – win outcome  for each  client. If the collaboration breaks down ( which is rare ) the collaborative lawyers are disqualified from acting further as the case will go to court and the clients must instruct new lawyers.

Collaborative Law is not just for couples divorcing . It can be used by cohabiting couples or same sex couples involved in disputes arising out of their separation or for family members who have issues to resolve about child related matters
If you are interested in finding out more about collaborative law or looking for a lawyer trained to work in the Collaborative process in your area go to www.scottish-collaborativelawyers.com.

A number of our members are also trained as Comprehensive Accredited Lawyer Mediators. Lawyer Mediators are solicitors who have combined many years of Family Law experience with intensive training in Mediation skills.

Mediation is a confidential, voluntary process in which an impartial Lawyer Mediator assists people who have separated to reach joint decisions in connection with arrangements for their children and/or the financial aspects of their separation. Both parties usually attend Mediation Sessions together during which an agenda is agreed and discussions then take place.

The Lawyer Mediator does not act as a legal representative and at the conclusion of Mediation, if parties have managed to reach agreement in connection with all or certain aspects of their separation, the Lawyer Mediator prepares a Summary of the Mediation which is then taken by the parties to their respective solicitors for the relevant legal documents to be drawn up.

The Lawyer Mediator acts as a neutral third party who provides guidance in connection with the law and endeavours to facilitate parties making their own arrangements regarding the various aspects of their separation. Our List of Members gives details of members who are also accredited Mediators. Information can also be obtained from www.calmscotland.co.uk