Collaborative law divorce is a way to shift the focus from “fight and win” to a “solve problems through negotiation” mindset and structure. In a collaborative law divorce, you and your spouse use mediation and negotiations to settle your divorce. You both get the benefit of legal advice, but you have more control over the timeline and process.
Legal support, customized agreements
Many people also find that they have more support by choosing to go the collaborative law route when they are divorcing. Others like the fact that with collaborative law the divorce case stays out of court. There are other benefits to collaborative law as well. These include:
• Your attorney will negotiate with and for you.
• You have control over your agreement rather than leaving it up to a judge
• You can make highly specialized agreements
• The process is more private than a court case because, unlike a court case, there are no public documents
A higher rate of satisfaction
A lot of people report that they are highly satisfied with the results of the collaborative law process. Moreover, the collaborative process is usually more cost-effective and less stressful than a court case.
When is collaborative law not the right choice?
While the benefits to collaborative law divorce are clear there are some cases when collaborative law may not be a good fit. If there was violence in the marriage, if one spouse had an imposing amount of control or does not act ethically then collaborative law will not be a good choice.
Preserving your relationship
If you want to divorce and find a resolution and do it on your own timeline, and also have a strong goal to preserve your relationship, then speak to an experienced family law attorney in your area about collaborative law.