Family Law

Nicola Harries is a Partner at Stevens & Bolton. She is the head of the family team, looking after clients coping with all aspects of family breakdown. Nicola prides herself on providing a quick and responsive service, giving pragmatic and concise advice to help resolve matters without unnecessary conflict.

Since retiring from the Family Division bench I have returned to my pre-judicial chambers as an associate member from where I offer my services as a family dispute resolution facilitator. The work I do ranges from all-issues mediation through early neutral evaluation (including private FDRs) to acting as an arbitrator in post-separation financial disputes.

I am a very enthusiastic advocate (while always maintaining neutrality!) for arbitration as a valuable option for disputants who are unable to resolve their disputes without a third party's informed decision. This out-of-court process is far more user-friendly and speedy than in-court litigation, and offers a range of potential benefits.

My colleagues Gavin Smith and Rhys Taylor and I have established our website FamilyArbitrator.com for which in 2012 we were jointly voted Jordans Most Innovative Family Lawyer of the Year. Detailed information and documentation about the arbitration process are freely available there. I am one of the editors of At A Glance and of the software programmes @eGlance and Capitalise and a co-author of Financial Remedies Practice.