Clarence Family Law - Early Neutral Evaluation/ Private hearings

Early Neutral Evaluation (ENE) is available for finance and property disputes and for children issues.

ENE involves appointing an independent evaluator, usually an experienced family law barrister, to provide a non-binding opinion to facilitate settlement discussions – effectively a clear ‘sense check’ of what a likely court outcome would be alongside clear guidance and recommendations for how any dispute should be resolved.

ENE provides a valuable opportunity for parties to know whether they are on the right track at a relatively early stage, before large sums of money are spent on preparing all the evidence which would be needed in court. It can be extremely helpful step towards reaching a sensible settlement outside of court.

For financial disputes this streamlined process removes the ‘bells and whistles’ of a private FDR when this is often not needed and can lead to a cost-effective resolution.
For child arrangement disputes, there can be great value in obtaining an early neutral opinion at an early stage. Whilst arbitration is a very good alternative to litigation, many clients want to try and resolve their dispute without any court/ quasi court proceedings at all. Also, many clients like more of a directive ‘steer’ than can be provided in mediation.

Benefits of Early Neutral Evaluation

Costs Effective: ENE can significantly reduce the costs associated with prolonged litigation by encouraging early, constructive settlement discussions.
Time saving: it allows parties to resolve disputes more quickly than traditional court processes.
Early insight: the independent evaluator provides an unbiased perspective, which can help parties reassess their positions and facilitate negotiations early on in the process. This is particularly helpful if a directive ‘steer’ is required and/or mediation has been unsuccessful.
Flexibility: ENE can be initiated at any stage of a dispute and does not preclude parties from pursuing other forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation, private FDR or arbitration if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Early Neutral Evaluation?

ENE (Early Neutral Evaluation) is a form of alternative dispute resolution.

ENE involves appointing an independent and impartial evaluator, agreed by both parties, to review the key issues in the case and provide a non-binding view on the likely outcome. This helps the parties understand the strengths of their respective positions and may assist in reaching a settlement.

Is Early Neutral Evaluation confidential?

The evaluator’s opinion is generally non-binding on the parties. It is also conducted on a confidential basis, meaning that what is disclosed during the process cannot be relied upon later in court without agreement.

How the Early Neutral Evaluation process works?

The parties first agree in writing (usually through their solicitors) to proceed with ENE and to determine the practical arrangements, such as the timetable and format. They then submit written statements outlining their case and identify the issues they want the evaluator to consider. The evaluator will review the material and may hold an oral meeting if required before issuing a written, non-binding assessment, often with brief reasons.

What are the benefits of Early Neutral Evaluation?

The main advantage of Early Neutral Evaluation is that it takes place at an early stage, helping to identify and narrow issues before they escalate, which can reduce both legal costs and emotional strain. Like Private FDRs, ENE allows parties to choose a specialist family lawyer with relevant expertise. The process also offers greater certainty over timing compared with court hearings, and the evaluator has more time to prepare and consider the case in detail.

❝Clarence Family Law are a first class specialist family law firm. Established by Helen Wilby, they are a discreet, professional, and powerful outfit — which you’d expect from Helen who cut her teeth working

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Why Choose Us?

A leading boutique family law firm situated in Richmond upon Thames: We act for a wide variety of clients, many of whom are based in the local area and Surrey, throughout London as well as nationally and internationally.
We are happy to travel/ arrange meetings close to where you live or work: We have access to meeting rooms across London and nationally. By lowering our overheads in this way, we can provide direct savings to our clients without compromising our high level of service and efficiency.
We provide city expertise at very competitive rates: Helen and Adam acquired their knowledge and experience in some of the most highly regarded family law departments in London, including Sears Tooth, Mishcon de Reya LLP and Penningtons Manches Cooper. They each maintain a wealth of connections in the family law arena, including leading family law practices and barristers’ chambers, meaning they will tailor the right team and expertise to your particular circumstances.
We start with a no-charge exploratory meeting to discuss your case: We will only accept instructions if we can add value to you.

Early Neutral Evaluation

Benefits of Early Neutral Evaluation

Why Choose Us?

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