Recent news suggests that Pep Guardiola's management skills extend beyond the pitch to include his divorce. Whilst not usually fans of press coverage of celebrity divorces, we were pleased to read in Today's Family Lawyer that Guardiola and his wife, Cristina Serra, are using "one couple, one lawyer" for their divorce. While not pretending to know anything about their finances, Pep's (surely indisputable) status as the greatest ever football manager has presumably created wealth to match, reinforcing our view that "one couple, one lawyer" is appropriate for any weight of case.
Since "one couple, one lawyer" was approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority a couple of years ago, we have advised several couples through Resolve, Hunters' "one couple, one lawyer" service. Working with these clients has been a great experience, and has only strengthened our belief that using one lawyer is a constructive, cost-effective choice for divorcing couples – and can be a healthier alternative to the traditional adversarial approach.
It's clear to us that "one couple, one lawyer" reduces conflict. The approach rests on the understanding that both partners want an arrangement which is fair to each of them and works for their family. By contrast, the traditional model where each client has their own lawyer assumes their interests are in conflict. These underlying assumptions can set the tone for the divorce and become self-fulfilling. Even where everyone has good intentions, using two lawyers can exacerbate tensions. Working through Resolve, we can spot misunderstandings and miscommunications as they arise and address them in the moment, rather than letting them fester whilst solicitors exchange irate letters.
We've also seen how Resolve empowers our clients. It recognises that they can each speak for themselves as well as work together to build solutions for their family's future, despite the end of their marriage. Unlike in more traditional approaches, no one speaks on their behalf, or makes decisions for them.
Resolve's flexibility is another of its aspects that we have come to particularly value, with timing being just one example of this. Expecting all separating couples to work to the same set timetable isn't realistic and creates stress. For couples who want to move quickly, not having to liaise with two lawyers speeds things up. Others need a more relaxed pace, perhaps because they have young children or one is them is dealing with another stressful life event like a bereavement. We can discuss their needs openly so that apparent delay does not create needless suspicion, and so that we all have realistic expectations.
We have, of course, also had to tell some people that Resolve is not the right choice for them – including because the relationship has been abusive, because one person didn't want to make financial disclosure or because we could see that one person wanted to avoid the other receiving certain advice. On the other hand, there have also been couples we've brought within Resolve by tackling concerns – for example, addressing a power imbalance through the wife being supported by a financial advisor.
Many people we've spoken to, professionally and personally, have had no idea that one lawyer can advise a divorcing couple together, but have quickly seen the benefits. Hopefully, Pep Guardiola's public profile will mean more people become aware that couples can use one lawyer to guide them through their divorce, and that this can work for all kinds of families – from world famous football managers to regular couples trying to navigate a difficult time in a more co-operative and cost-effective way.
All Pep's best teams have been famed for their elegance and their rigour. We've found that the same qualities are present in Resolve.
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