Mark Heptinstall Qualifies as Family Law Arbitrator

Mark Heptinstall, Partner and Head of the family law team at Slater Heelis has officially qualified as a family law arbitrator under the IFLA scheme, authorised to adjudicate on financial matters arising from separation and Inheritance Act cases. With this achievement, Mark joins the esteemed Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the world’s largest community of private dispute resolution professionals.

This qualification marks a significant milestone in Mark’s career, further strengthening Slater Heelis’ expertise in family law and significantly expanding the firm’s Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR) offering. As a CIArb member, Mark is now part of a global network committed to providing effective, confidential, and legally binding alternatives to traditional court proceedings.

Commenting, Mark Heptinstall said he is delighted to have qualified as a family law arbitrator and to be able to offer Arbitration as a service for the first time at Slater Heelis in Family law. This allows him to offer an alternative and more flexible approach to resolving financial disputes, avoiding the often lengthy and costly court process.

He noted that our current system of litigation through the court process varies by region, and it is not uncommon for there to be delays of up to two years or more to resolve cases. Client’s lives are on hold and costs increase so they are rightly questioning this and are looking for alternative ways to resolve their disputes. Arbitration and other forms of NCDR are the key to this, and he is delighted to add this service as a new offering; not only should the process be cheaper, but it can often lessen the anxiety, stress, and upheaval often associated with lengthy court cases.

Importantly, the Arbitration process remains private and confidential to the parties only, so the default position as from 27 January 2025 in the Family Court where the media can report on any family cases being heard will not apply to Arbitration.

Arbitration is becoming an increasingly popular method of resolving disputes and this new offering ensures that Slater Heelis continues to provide innovative legal solutions tailored to match the needs of the public.

Slater Heelis is an award-winning, full-service law firm acting for clients across the UK and internationally with an expert team of over 210.

With its head office in Sale, Greater Manchester and a large office in Manchester, the firm offers a range of legal services to both private and business clients including: Family Law, Wills & Probate, Court of Protection, Personal Injury, Corporate Law, Crime (including Business Crime & Regulatory), Dispute Resolution, Property Litigation, Contentious Probate and Contentious Court of Protection, Employment & HR, Property Law and Construction & Engineering.