More separating couples are choosing to work together with a single professional since the “no-fault” divorce law introduced in England and Wales in April 2022 opened the door to joint divorce applications.

The main driving factors for a separating couple to work together in their divorce are:

• their wish to resolve their divorce amicably and with dignity;

• to reduce the impact, protect and benefit the family as a whole and build a positive parenting relationship if they have children;

• to avoid conflict by having separate lawyers; or

• to minimise the costs.

Other factors include looking for an out-of-court solution, controlling the outcome, and seeking privacy and confidentiality.

You may be wondering whether sharing a divorce and family law professional would work for you and what the benefits are of divorcing together.

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 becomes the new divorce law in England and Wales from 6 April 2022. It is the most significant reform in divorce legislation in the last 50 years. In addition to implementing a new divorce process, this new legislation removes the ability to make allegations of blame, hence being called the “no-fault” divorce law. For the first time, it allows couples to end their marriage jointly by submitting a joint application. The possibility of contesting the divorce, other than for legal reasons, has also been removed.

Most divorce experts believe that the new no-fault divorce will lead to more amicable divorces. I agree that it is a step in the right direction. The removal of fault is likely to translate into a less acrimonious start to the process. It can be the pathway to setting the right tone from the very beginning to incentivise a friendly resolution. However, is this enough for couples to achieve an amicable divorce?