Dawsons also offers a collaborative law service as an alternative to court based litigation. Collaborative law is a processwhere both parties sign an agreement not to go to Court, but to resolve matters by cooperation and negotiation. Unlike mediation,each party has their own solicitor (a trained collaborative lawyer)representing them in the process and yet works cooperatively with their spouse. The emphasis is on generating options to achieve settlement rather than conflict. The negotiation is carried out almost entirely in four way meetings attended by both lawyers and both clients, which maintains transparency and accountability.