Edward Cooke becomes chair of Resolution’s Training and Learning Committee

17 September 2020

Edward Cooke, managing director of Edward Cooke Family Law, a specialist firm of family solicitors and mediators in Sussex and Hampshire, is now Chair of Resolution’s Training and Learning Committee.

An organisation of nearly 7,000 members, Resolution comprises professionals from across the family law profession, including family law solicitors, barristers, financial advisors, psychotherapists and other professionals.

Edward said he is very excited about this role

He said: “Training is absolutely vital to what Resolution does an organisation across the country. It’s so important all family law professionals are equipped with the right training and skills to do their jobs in the best way, particularly given the often sensitive and challenging nature of the work we do.”

As a family lawyer and mediator, Edward believes passionately in the importance of all family law professionals having training in the essential skills they need to resolve disputes in the 21st century.

He said: “In the past, for clients the experience of separation and divorce was too often adversarial, indeed sometimes destructive.

“Things have improved in many respects in recent years. Many more clients now resolve issues through out-of-court means, such as mediation and collaborative law; meanwhile, earlier this year, we saw the passing in parliament of a law that will take fault out of the divorce process itself.

“However, I believe much more can and should be done to make divorce and the resolution of all issues (whether they be financial or relating to children) less adversarial and more child focused. A good starting point is to look at the training of family law professionals.

Edward said he wants to see all family law professionals have access to a much deeper level of skills training than is presently the case, including training in out-of-court resolution, so they can support their clients in achieving less adversarial and more constructive resolution of issues arising upon divorce or separation.

Edward has also recently been re-elected for another three-year term on Resolution’s national committee.