Need to know

• Family law isn’t all courtroom drama, plenty can be sorted through mediation instead.

• No-fault divorce removed the blame, not the battles over money.

• When it comes to financial settlements, mediation is picking up the pace and cutting the stress.

Welcome to TSL’s Weekly Edge, whether you’re aiming for a regional or high-street practice, or just want to get a feel for how law works in the real world beyond textbooks, you’re in the right place. 

No corporate jargon, no massive deals, just real useful information designed to give you that extra edge in your legal journey.

🧠Wilson’s Weekly Wisdom

Summer holidays! The reward that makes all the exam stress and endless studying feel worthwhile. But as a trainee solicitor, two weeks off feels like a luxury, which has made me reflect on how I used to spend my summers.

Between my second and third year at university I volunteered at a charity shop.  It wasn’t anything glamorous. I worked on the shop floor, helped at the tills, wrapped up crockery, and made sure Henry the Hoover didn’t get caught in the clothing rails, but I was unknowingly building key skills: communication, teamwork, reliability, and confidence. Just by showing up regularly and interacting with customers, I was building a strong foundation, not in law, but in the kind of people skills that legal work demands.

Success in law isn’t just about legal knowledge, it’s about people skills. Especially in mid-tier and high street firms, where being a well-rounded individual with solid core skills is key. As we say at work: we're “People. Not just Lawyers.” And it’s true; behind every solicitor is just a person, doing their best.

💡Spotlight Article

When resolving finances gets trickier by the week, high street firms are leading with better conversations, not conflict.

🔎What’s happening? 

You’d think that making the divorce process less adversarial would ease things up for the courts. That was the goal when no-fault divorce was introduced in April 2022 under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020.

This change removed the need to assign blame, making it possible for couples to part ways without pointing fingers or proving wrongdoing.

But the latest Ministry of Justice figures paint a more complicated picture:

• There are fewer divorce applications now compared to before no-fault divorce was implemented. In just the first quarter of 2025, applications were down 5% compared to the same period in 2022.

• Despite the lower number of applications, the number of divorces being legally finalised by the court has also fallen.

• And the average time from application to final order? A staggering 74 weeks, or almost a year and a half. That’s 7 weeks longer than this time last year.

Meanwhile, although fewer couples are filing for divorce, more are struggling to reach an agreement on finances. Contested financial remedy orders (court applications to resolve how money, property, or pensions should be divided) are returning to pre-pandemic levels. 

So while divorce applications are easing, financial disputes are not.

❓ Why it matters to high street firms

Rising financial disputes mean increasing pressure on local firms. Family solicitors are often the first port of call for divorcing clients confused about what they’re entitled to.

With more couples struggling to divide matrimonial assets, advisers need to guide them through both the legal and practical paths – including whether court is the best option.

For high street and mid-tier firms, this creates clear opportunities to:

• Develop transparent pricing models for non-court dispute resolution.

• Build a reputation for cost-effective, client-focused outcomes.

• Train staff to support constructive conversations and early agreement.

That’s where mediation comes in. Once a “nice-to-have”, it’s now a must. By involving a neutral third party to help couples agree on everything from finances to future plans, mediation delivers faster outcomes (8-12 weeks vs. 74 weeks in court), lower legal costs, and a clearer way forward.

And it’s not only that! Mediation also:

• Empowers clients to shape their outcomes.

• Preserves relationships often strained by litigation.

• Ensures sensitive matters stay confidential.

• Avoids the risk around enforcing judgments and collecting sums.

In short, mediation helps families separate with less stress, delay, and uncertainty than the courtroom. Because the best result isn’t just winning – it’s moving on.

Contested Financial Remedy Order

It’s a court application made when divorcing couples can’t agree on how to split their savings, property, pensions, or debts, so they ask a judge to decide for them.

It’s also legally binding, so that no one can claim the dog and the sofa six months later.