Until recently, when people thought of divorce, the litigation model was their only choice.
In this model, finding the best advocate often amounted to finding the professional who pursued a client’s positions no matter the cost and often to the destruction of the financial interests and future relationships of their clients and family.
How many times have we heard divorce survivors who have used the traditional litigation process say “there should be a better way”! Well, now there is a better way- Collaborative Divorce. We sometimes refer to Collaborative Divorce as an alternative dispute resolution process since this process offers a fundamentally different approach to solving the issues that are raised when a family begins their reconstruction.
To be sure, when a married couple with children decide to divorce, it is the whole family that is affected by the change in the family’s structure. Rather than have a virtual stranger (Judge) impose financial and parenting arrangements for the family, in the Collaborative process, the parties and their chosen professionals are in charge of their outcomes. Clients and attorneys act as settlement teams, not adversaries.
The attorneys and clients agree from the outset that they will work out the terms of their divorce without going to court. Engaging in a settlement-oriented process for this phase of their divorce process, rather than an adversarial approach, results in a kinder, gentler solution which serves as a positive environment for the family’s post-divorce relationship.
The opportunities offered by the Collaborative Process are truly unique and too valuable to be overlooked. Contact one of out Collaborative Professionals to learn more about this dynamic process.
Filed in: Is Collaborative for You?
