Maybe you have read about mediation, but you do not feel comfortable with it because you have concerns about getting all the information you need and having some protection during the divorce process. Perhaps you want to avoid the financial and emotional cost of litigation, but you still do not feel comfortable sitting in a room and negotiating for yourself without a legal representative.
Collaborative Law allows you to be represented by an attorney in a process where you and your spouse agree that the goal is a peaceful settlement which maximizes the benefits to the family. You will use
interest-based negotiation, which is the same technique used in mediation, but you will have an attorney by your side to guide you.
In Collaborative Law cases, each party has their own attorney. The attorneys and parties agree that they will not go to court and will instead focus their energies on settlement. This allows you and your spouse to control certain aspects of your divorce, such as the cost and the timing. The attorneys will assist you in generating possible solutions to the various problems facing your family, including custody, support and property division. When you enter into an agreement you will have had the opportunity to assess all options and to make sure that you have reached the best possible resolution for your family.
Collaborative law resolves divorce disputes outside the court system. It anticipates cooperation and full disclosure between the parties. It combines the ease of mediation and some of the resources of litigation, for what can be a superior process, depending upon your circumstances. Participants, if they choose, can also use professional coaches, mental health professionals, neutral financial experts and other professionals to help facilitate a resolution of the issues. Collaborative law permits the divorcing couple to control the process, rather than putting their lives in the hands of a Judge.
Additionally, it usually saves each party money by reducing the steps involved and sharing the costs of necessary experts. Confidentiality is protected in the process.
If you would like to discuss whether the Collaborative Law process might be right for your situation, please contact Rubin & Rosenblum, PLLC to schedule a consultation.