Manchester City Football Club manager Pep Guardiola and his wife Cristina Serra are reported to be to be using the ‘one lawyer, one couple’ divorce process following their recent announcement they will be separating.
The couple, who have been together for more than 30 years, and married 10, are beginning divorce proceedings with the couple set to adopt the ‘one couple, one couple’ process devised by membership and best practice body Resolution.
‘One couple, one lawyer’ was launched in 2022 and has began to gain traction amongst family law professionals, where couples are committed to remaining harmonious and dealing with the divorce in the most cost-efficient way. In its guidance on the process, Resolution say ‘one lawyer, one couple’ ‘enables a separating couple to approach their divorce together with the support and legal advice of one lawyer.’
To pursue your divorce in this way, you and your ex need to be comfortable to discuss everything together with your jointly appointed lawyer, there must be no concern about controlling or abusive behaviour, and no known legal conflicts. Your lawyer will first meet you individually to establish your situation is suitable to proceed together – they will immediately flag if you should instead seek individual legal advice and advise on other ways on resolving matters.
If it is appropriate for you to work with your chosen lawyer, you’ll then meet together with the lawyer who will provide joint advice to and your ex about all the decisions to be made around your finances and your children as you divorce.
‘One lawyer, one couple’ avoids the costly process of going to court and has largely been enabled by the changes to divorce law enacted in the The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act (2020), dubbed ‘no fault divorce.’ Paperwork is drawn up to formalise the join decisions.
The process has also incorporated elements of collaborative law by bringing in mediators, financial and pensions experts and professionals to support the couple during the process, and reducing the pressure on the family practitioner to be at the centre of the whole process. Speaking on the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast, Lisa Payne of Wilsons Solicitors, one of a number of firms who have adopted Resolution Together, describes how the concept requires a mindset change from traditional family law in identifying and working with both clients to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome; rather than acting for one side only.
“You’re actually doing your clients a disservice if you don’t identify and point clients in the direction of further support. Resolution Together is also more cost effective, and time saving as both parties hear what the advice from the experts is first hand jointly.”
Resolution say members who wish to use the Resolution Together approach need to complete four unique training modules before they offer this service:
- Principles and Procedure
- Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding
- Essential Skills
- Introduction to OCDR approaches
Commenting on the news Grant Cameron, National Chair of Resolution and partner at Trethowans said
“The Resolution Together process allows separating couples to work collaboratively and constructively with one lawyer, helping to reduce conflict and costs. It is encouraging to see a high-profile couple like Pep and Cristina choosing this approach, demonstrating that it can be effective even in cases involving complex financial arrangements.
Pep and Cristina are the first known high-profile couple to choose the Resolution Together model which will raise awareness of this innovative process. I hope their choice to resolve matters amicably encourages others to consider this approach, fostering a cultural shift towards less adversarial family law practices.”
