Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative Divorce is a unique and specialized process for people who want to “divorce differently.” Traditional divorce usually takes place in a courtroom with adversarial attorneys pursuing a win-lose outcome before a judge who makes the final decision. In a Collaborative Divorce, each spouse has their own attorney and all work together as a team, with a commitment to stay out of court. If either party decides to go to court, both attorneys are disqualified from representing their clients in court.

As a Collaborative Divorce attorney, I provide you with individual legal advice and protect your legal interests, while pursuing your goals and priorities—what is important to you. I also work to understand your spouse’s goals and priorities in order to reach a settlement agreement that takes into account the best possible outcome for all involved.

One of the unique features of a Collaborative Divorce is recognizing the emotional, financial, and parenting challenges, (in addition to the legal), that most couples face when separating/divorcing.  Because of this perspective, a Collaborative Divorce can be most successful and cost-efficient when additional Collaborative professionals are part of the team.

This could be a mental-health professional who serves as a Divorce Coach to enhance productive communication, or a Child Specialist to address the needs of the children. A Divorce Financial Specialist gathers and analyzes financial data and explores outcomes for allocating income and dividing assets, debt and property. All team members commit to working respectfully and in good faith for the benefit of the whole family.