Private DRA

Private DRA, much like Private FDR, addresses the growing need for a non-court based space for early neutral evaluation in private children cases.

Practitioners will be familiar with the Private FDR process and the benefits of instructing a specialist barrister to provide an indication in respect of parties’ finances. The success rates following a Private FDR speak for themselves. Pump Court Chambers is therefore delighted to be able to offer Private DRA to fill the same space within private children disputes, avoiding the stress, delay, unpredictability, and cost of potentially lengthy court proceedings.

Everyone in our Private DRA team has considerable experience in private children cases, and many of our barristers are also in our Private FDR team and/or sit as judges within the family court. They are ideally placed to assist parties with reaching an agreement via an indication at Private DRA.

The advantages to the parties involved in taking this approach include:

• The ‘judge’ will be someone with proven expertise in private children matters.
• The parties will have a full day to conduct the Private DRA ‘hearing’, and to continue their discussions and negotiations, rather than the one-hour slot conventionally allocated at court.
• The ‘judge’ will have prepared thoroughly for the meeting and will continue to assist the parties throughout the course of the day until an agreement is reached.
• A suitable venue can be chosen which allows for a bespoke process, with refreshments and space for private discussions. This can include remote attendance if the parties agree.
• There is no delay – the Private DRA can be arranged before court proceedings have been started, at any stage of those proceedings, or as part of an arbitration process. The pDRA can also be arranged at short notice, in circumstances where a hearing has been unexpectedly vacated (for example).
• If further time is needed on a different day, the parties can elect to continue the Private DRA without being reliant upon court listing.

Our panel of Private DRA specialists adhere to our own Chambers standards of excellence, which contains very specific criteria, i.e., members who show real commitment to dispute resolution (i.e., they are arbitrators or mediators), sit in a Judicial capacity, conduct Private FDRs and/or who are private children experts. These Chambers standards serve to put clients at ease and reassure them that their case is being dealt with by an appropriately appointed expert.

Not all cases will be suitable for Private DRA, particularly if there are allegations of domestic abuse. If you are unsure about whether your case is appropriate for Private DRA, please make enquiries with the clerks.

The table below represents Counsel’s ‘standard’ fee to hear a Private DRA, with a time estimate of one day, and includes all reading time and preparation. If you would like to discuss a case which you believe falls outside of the ‘standard’ range, our Senior Family Clerk, James Collier (j.collier@pumpcourtchambers.com) +44 (0)20 7353 0711 – would be happy to discuss your individual needs, please just get in touch.