Resolution — the Community of Family Justice Professionals

Resolution is a membership organisation of around 6,500 family justice professionals — mainly solicitors, but also mediators, arbitrators and other specialists — who commit to a Code of Practice promoting a constructive, non-confrontational approach to family breakdown. It does not give advice to the public directly, but it is one of the best starting points for a self-representing parent looking for a family lawyer or mediator who works in a settlement-focused way.

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31

What Resolution is

Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association) was founded in 1982 and is the largest community of family justice professionals in England and Wales. Its central idea is that family disputes — divorce, separation, children arrangements, financial matters — are best resolved through negotiation and agreement rather than courtroom conflict, particularly where children are involved.

Members sign up to a Code of Practice that goes beyond the minimum professional conduct rules. In broad terms it commits them to: avoiding unnecessary litigation; behaving with courtesy and not inflaming conflict; keeping the interests and wellbeing of children central; being honest about costs; and considering non-court options such as mediation, collaborative law and arbitration before issuing proceedings.

Resolution also campaigns on family justice reform, provides extensive training to its members, and runs public awareness work such as Good Divorce Week. It is a not-for-profit membership body rather than a regulator — a solicitor's professional conduct is still governed by the SRA (or equivalent body), but the Resolution Code adds a voluntary layer of commitment on top.

What help it offers to the public

Resolution is not an advice service — it cannot give you legal advice, and its staff will direct you to members if you ask for advice. What it does offer publicly is:

"Find a Professional" search at resolution.org.uk — a searchable directory of members, filterable by location, area of work (divorce and finances, children, domestic abuse, cohabitation, mediation, collaborative law, arbitration and more) and service type. Each entry shows the member's firm, contact details and specialisms.
Public information pages explaining separation, arrangements for children, financial matters and the different out-of-court options, written in plain English.
A complaints route if you believe a member has breached the Resolution Code of Practice — Resolution will consider complaints about a member's adherence to the Code (though professional misconduct itself is a matter for the SRA or BSB).

Contact details

Website: https://resolution.org.uk
Find a Professional: https://resolution.org.uk/find-a-professional/
General enquiries: 020 3841 0300 (office hours 9am–5.30pm, Monday to Friday)
Media enquiries: 020 3841 0303
Contact page: https://resolution.org.uk/contact-us

Resolution is a membership body, so it does not operate a public helpline; telephone contact is for general enquiries about the organisation, membership or complaints about the Code.

How a self-representing parent can use Resolution

If you are representing yourself in children or financial proceedings, Resolution is useful in several realistic ways:

1. Vet the other side. If the other parent has a solicitor, checking whether they are a Resolution member tells you something useful: they have voluntarily committed to a non-confrontational Code. In practice many Resolution members will correspond with litigants in person constructively and may be more open to settlement discussions or mediation referrals. 2. Find a lawyer for limited or unbundled help. If you want a solicitor for a fixed piece of work — drafting a consent order, reviewing a statement, a one-off consultation — the Find a Professional search lets you look specifically for members offering the relevant specialism. Search filters include location and area of law. 3. Find a mediator or arbitrator. Resolution members include family mediators and arbitrators; if you want to keep your case out of court (and remember, the court expects you to have considered mediation at the MIAM stage), the directory is a credible place to find accredited practitioners. 4. Use the free information pages to understand the process and vocabulary before you complete forms or attend a hearing. 5. Complain about Code breaches. If a Resolution member acting for the other parent behaves aggressively or in breach of the Code, you can raise this with Resolution — though the practical remedy is limited, it can sharpen conduct in contentious cases.

Note that being a Resolution member is a positive signal, not a guarantee: always check a solicitor's SRA registration independently and compare more than one option before instructing anyone.

Useful links

Resolution homepage: https://resolution.org.uk
Find a Professional: https://resolution.org.uk/find-a-professional/
Public information on separation and children: https://resolution.org.uk/i-need-help/
Contact and complaints: https://resolution.org.uk/contact-us

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws, procedures and contact details change — verify anything important against the official sources linked above before relying on it. Your Family Case is an independent directory listing; we take no referral fees and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or receiving payment from any organisation listed.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.