About Collaborative Law:

 

Collaborative law involves a team approach in negotiating and settling issues.  It is my belief that it is in the best interests of divorcing parties and their family to resolve their dispute in a civil, respectful manner.  Collaborative practice requires that the parties agree to avoid adversarial legal proceedings and settle their disputes outside of court and with the help of their collaborative attorneys, coaches and financial advisor.  The process is similar to mediation, but in collaborative practice, both parties are represented by a collaborative attorney.  The collaborative attorneys advocate for their clients in a way that is respectful to each party and are settlement-oriented in their approach.  

 

Depending on cirumstances, parties may be encouraged, but not required, to meet with a collaborative coach and financial specialist during the collaborative process.  The idea here is that each professional brings a certain expertise to the table and that the parties' interests are best met when they receive the guidance of the full team of professionals in a collaborative divorce.   Depending on the number of issues and assets of the parties', the full-team approach may or may not be necessary.  During the consultation, I will discuss this further with each potential client.  

 

Just as there is no guarantees parties will settle their issues in mediation or in a settlement conference prior to trial, there is no guarantee that the collaborative process will work.  That said, it is my experience that this process, like mediation, fosters the greater liklihood that the parties will reach amicable agreements.  Most importantly, collaborative law and mediation focus on children, emphasizing co-parenting and the promotion of healthy relationships between the children and their parents.