Collaborative Divorce
A Team Approach to Divorce
Are you looking for a way to divorce that leaves you feeling whole and healed, rather that split in two?
Collaborative divorce is a low conflict method for divorce in which you and your spouse are not adversaries – you are teammates working for the same winning outcome: each of you, and your kids, moving on from your marriage feeling secure and at peace.
Collaborative Divorce
What You Can Expect
Like mediation, collaborative divorce is an out-of-court process that prioritizes civil negotiation and creative problem-solving in reaching a settlement both spouses find fair and reasonable. In collaborative divorce, there is a no mediator — or judge. Instead, both spouses create a collaborative team of experts to work through all the issues of the divorce.
Depending on the needs and issues in your divorce, collaborative team members can include:
- Specially trained collaborative attorneys. You and your spouse will each hire your own collaborative divorce attorney.
- Divorce coaches.
- Child custody specialists.
- Financial advisors and accountants.
- Other experts as needed.
All members of the team work together to maximize positive results for both parties, saving parties time, money and stress. For example, instead of each spouse hiring a child custody expert, as can happen in a litigated divorce, spouses choose one child custody expert to the team. The expert will offer solutions that promote the best interests of the child and respect and nurture the child’s relationship with each parent.
Is Collaborative Divorce Right for you?
The goal of the collaborative divorce is for each spouse (and their children) to emerge from divorce feeling truly “whole” and ready to move on with their lives. When Gwyneth Paltrow used collaborative divorce in her split from husband Chris Martin, she nicknamed the process “conscious uncoupling”.
Expert tip: The collaborative process itself can feel like a “gentle divorce”, but using collaborative methods is not always easy; it involves a high level of trust. As an incentive for sticking with negotiations, both spouses must agree in writing, to be part of a respectful process, and to go to court with new attorneys should the process not result in a mutually acceptable settlement.
Finding an Expert Collaborative Divorce Lawyer
Transparency and open communication are the hallmarks of collaborative divorce. When evaluating potential collaborative attorneys, keep in mind that you will depend on your attorney to help you communicate, negotiate and apply decisions within the collaborative divorce process. An expert attorney you connect with and trust will be the best partner for you as you navigate the collaborative law process.