Family law firm Burgess Mee has launched a collaboration with an experienced psychotherapist to offer clients integrated trauma-informed legal and therapeutic support.
Fiona Forsyth, a former family solicitor herself, is working with Burgess Mee to offer clients support at key stages in the family law process, from preparing for financial disclosure, mediation or court hearings to discussing arrangements for children and adjusting to life after the legal process.
Burgess Mee said it hopes the holistic approach will help clients navigate legal proceedings and family change with greater clarity and confidence.
The collaboration builds on firm-wide trauma-informed practice training in 2024, and aims to help clients to feel both “legally informed and emotionally supported, with the right help available at the right time.”
Ffion Greenfield, legal director at Burgess Mee said: “As the first family law firm to train all our solicitors to be trauma-informed, we recognise that family breakdown is rarely just a legal problem.
“Stress, conflict and past experiences can affect people’s wellbeing, decision-making, communication and long-term family relationships. This can impact clients’ engagement with legal processes, requiring tailored legal advice and therapeutic support to ensure the right outcomes for them can be achieved.”
Fiona Forsyth further added: “Separation can be one of the most destabilising experiences in a person’s life, and it often happens while they’re being asked to make some of the biggest decisions they’ll ever face.
“My role is to give clients a confidential space to pause, take stock and make sense of what’s happening, so they can approach each stage of the legal process feeling steadier and better able to advocate for themselves and their children.”
Senior Partner, Peter Burgess said: “Our experience tells us that emotional support and a space to reflect outside the formal legal processes can be a valuable resource to clients
“As an experienced psychotherapist and former family solicitor and mediator, Fiona understands the personal and legal pressures that clients may be experiencing. Her unique perspective, combined with our trauma-informed legal advice, will, we hope, empower clients to move through the process with resilience and confidence,” he concluded.
