Legal Aid for Family Mediation
If you are on a low income or if you receive certain benefits and do not have many savings or assets, you may qualify for legal aid.
In this case, the mediation process would be FREE for you, even if you own your own home on your own or with your partner.
At Kee Mediation, our fully accredited family mediators are able to assess whether you are eligible for mediation legal aid.
We offer legal aid in conjunction with Children 1st Mediation, Unit 3, 21 Phoenix St, Stonehouse, Plymouth PL1 3DN.
Everything you need to know about mediation legal aid.
How can I make use of legal aid for family mediation?
You can use our legal aid mediation service to deal with disputes as a result of a family breakdown which may have ended in court; legal aid mediation can also be used to help you manage childcare plans or help if your current plans have broken down and you are not able to see your children at present. Our mediation service will help if you need support with financial arrangements after a separation or divorce.
What if I do not qualify for legal aid for mediation but the other person does?
If you do not qualify for legal aid yourself, but the other person does, the cost of your initial assessment meeting (MIAM) will also be FREE for you, as will your first joint mediation session with the other person. Beyond that, you would have to pay our usual private fees (see 'Costs' in the menu above).
If I get legal aid for mediation, can I also get free legal advice?
Mediators are not able to give legal advice, but it can be helpful to get legal advice from a solicitor as part of the mediation process. If you are eligible for legal aid for mediation, and you have started mediating with one another, the Legal Agency will pay for you to get some legal advice in support of mediation from a solicitor who offers legal aid.
What are my other options if I do not qualify for legal aid?
You may be eligible for a voucher under the current government voucher scheme if you are looking at issues regarding a child or family financial matters which also involve matters relating to a child. We are signed up to the voucher scheme and have already helped lots of families to use their voucher of up to £500 towards the costs of mediation.
Will legal aid pay for a lawyer to represent me in court?
Legal aid for a lawyer to represent you at court is now more limited and generally only available if you have experienced domestic abuse or if your child is at risk of abuse. You can find further information about this on the Government's website.
The legal aid we provide is in conjunction with Children 1st Mediation.
Are you ready to talk to us about legal aid for your mediation process?
You can arrange to have mediation at one of our locations, listed below. We also offer nationwide, online mediation.
The Enterprise Centre, 20 Royal Scot Road, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8AJ.
The Bay Centre, 21 Trent Boulevard, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, NG2 5BB.
The Magnolia Centre, 354 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG5 2EF.