What is ReFLEx?

Relationships : Family Law : Excellence – training and resources designed to help family law professionals take a more holistic approach to acting for their clients. Learn more about what the training has to offer below. 

When FLiP first opened its doors in September 1995 it set out to do something that no other family law firm was doing. At the time, that was having a firm with in-house mediation and in-house counsellors. 27 years later and in-house mediation is de rigueur. Roll forward over 27 years and FLiP is still innovating and, what is more, still sharing its ideas and talents with the wider profession for the betterment of all concerned.

Last September, FLiP Faculty in conjunction with the Institute of Family Therapy, launched a unique online Essential Skills training portal. It’s called ReFLEx standing for Relationships – Family Law – Excellence. Gillian Bishop, a consultant at FLiP and a Director of FLiP Faculty explains the significance:

“All the work we do as family lawyers is centred around relationships whether that is the relationships our clients have with their partners or our relationships with them and others. The quality of the relationships we have with clients, colleagues and other professionals can make an enormous difference to the way a case evolves, for good or bad. I am passionate about making those relationships better as, in doing so, we will be making a real positive difference to clients and their families.

It has always struck me as strange that lawyers are taught a huge amount about the law and procedure but almost nothing about the the context in which we work and the life skills we need to deliver a really first class service. ReFLEx is designed to address that gap in our training. The intention is that in really understanding about these skills, lawyers will instinctively use them in their day to day work – much like the skills required to ride a bike or drive a car – we don’t think about them, we just do them.”

The aim for ReFLEX is to have 9 workshops live online by the end of this academic year. There are already 3 ready to access and another 6 at various stages of production. The workshops cover skills such as listening, asking questions to get the answers you need, setting and maintaining boundaries, the use of language, managing conflict and understanding the impact of conflict on children. The 9 workshops will add up to a Certificate in Essential Skills, the first of its kind.