Clarion family lawyer qualifies as Children Arbitrator

Jane Ingleby, partner in Clarion’s family team, has become one of only a handful of fully qualified children arbitrators in Yorkshire.

As a children arbitrator, approved by the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators, Jane is now able to be appointed to help resolve disputes between parents regarding child custody and access arrangements. As an alternative form of dispute resolution, child arbitration is designed to be a faster, less expensive and a less adversarial alternative to court proceedings.

With over 25 years’ experience across all aspects of family law, Jane joined Clarion in 2016, becoming a partner two years ago. She has a strong track record in complex private law children’s proceedings, surrogacy, cohabitation and finance cases. As well as being highly experienced and skilled legal professionals, children arbitrators undergo specialist child and family arbitration training which Jane completed in earlier this year.

“Given the pressure the courts are currently under, it’s more important than ever that families can access an alternative, less adversarial form of dispute resolution,” explains Jane. “In children cases, which are often emotionally charged, the less formal setting of sitting in a normal room with an experienced and objective children arbitrator hearing your case, is a lot less intimidating and stressful.

“I am really pleased to be able to use my long track record in complex children’s proceedings to move into this role which can only be undertaken by lawyers with the experience to really understand the impact of their decisions on the entire family. I particularly like the fact that the process results in a final determination which is then passed to court for final review before becoming an enforceable order.”

This latest accolade adds the skills of a qualified children arbitrator to the diverse range of services Clarion offers families and is a further demonstration of the firm’s commitment to exploring the value of alternative forms of dispute resolution. Increasingly, it is being recognised that court is not always the best place in which to reach effective co-parenting decisions and this type of arbitration may offer a better approach for many families.

Jane has been recognised in Chambers and the Legal 500 and is Resolution accredited.

Clarion’s 12-strong family practice advises on a full range of family matters including divorce proceedings, parental issues and family mediation services. The team are ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 2 in Chambers.