Ian Walker MCIArb – Family Law Arbitration – Children Scheme

I’m pleased to announce that I have been admitted as a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators/Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA).

On Monday, 18 July 2016 Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) will be formally launching its Children Law Arbitration Scheme at Parliament Chamber, Inner Temple, London.

I am pleased to say that I will be one of the founding Child Law Arbitrators within the Children Law Scheme.

In order to undertake the training as a child law arbitrator I needed to demonstrate my experience in this area of law and I also need to produce references from two Judges of my suitability.

I am very pleased and honoured to have gained this qualification. Over the next few years there is likely to be a growth in the use of arbitration in family disputes. I am pleased to be at the cutting edge of the development of this area practice.

I will be updating our website over the next few weeks with details of our arbitration service.

What is Arbitration?

Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution. The parties enter into an agreement under which they appoint a suitably qualified person (an “arbitrator”) to adjudicate a dispute and make an award.

The determination made by the arbitrator is legally binding on the parties.

Essentially an arbitrator is a private judge.

As a process it can be quicker and cheaper than going to Court. As a process arbitration can also be combined with other forms of dispute resolution including mediation. I will post more on this in due course.

Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA)

IFLA and the IFLA Scheme is the result of collaboration between Resolution, the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Centre for Child and Family Law Reform (CCFLR) and is chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton.

In 2012, IFLA launched a scheme to enable family financial disputes to be resolved by arbitration.

Arbitration under the scheme is conducted under the family arbitration Rules which have been developed by IFLA for the scheme. This means divorcing couples can agree to appoint their own arbitrator, or have the IFLA select one for them from its panel of approved arbitrators.

Following the success of the family finance scheme IFLA has decided to extend its scheme to child law cases.

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)

CIArb is the world’s leading professional membership body for arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. A not-for-profit organisation, CIArb promotes the use of alternative dispute resolution internationally through a membership of 12,000 professionally qualified members in more than 110 countries.