Smart clients and lawyers choose cooperation first, and litigation as a last resort. They know that collaboration isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of strength, care and professionalism.
The Collaborative Process is used by enlightened divorce professionals. Specialists, like a child therapist, a financial neutral, work alongside the attorneys to create an informed, comprehensive result.
Do you want solutions, not battles? Try a collaborative approach from the start. Ninety-five percent of all divorces end in settlement – even those that start in court. When both partners choose lawyers that understand how and why not to “blow up a case,” solutions happen with less pain for everyone involved.
Collaborative law is an honest and practical way of addressing each part of your divorce. Is a child in need of a therapist? Make a child psychologist part of your team to teach you what’s best for the kids. Uncertain about your financial future? There are financial planners who can provide investment and retirement scenarios so you both make informed decisions about dividing your assets.
I often think of collaborative law as the humble solution. Lawyers can take care of the legal aspects of divorce, but we can’t do it all. Having the expertise of other professionals is enormously helpful. Each professional is neutral as well, with the shared goal of designing a solution that leaves the children, and each parent, as well off as possible.
Another way of thinking about collaborative law is as mediation-plus. Sometimes it takes a (small) village to help couples get divorced. Like a team of wise elders, you can assemble a collaborative team to help you create the best divorce possible.
