Collaborative law focuses on children rather than conflict.

Collaborative Law

Perhaps the most important positive impact of collaborative divorce is the focus on children, rather than conflict.

When a cooperative approach is used to reach agreements regarding child custody and the development of a parenting plan, your children will take notice and not feel they have to choose sides.

By developing agreements through negotiation, you also afford yourself more latitude than the court could provide if you left these crucial decisions to a judge. In collaborative law, parties can end their relationship with dignity and respect, and take control of what their post-divorce life will look like.

The Benefits of Collaborative Law

A collaborative divorce offers numerous benefits. The parties retain control over the divorce process by working together with their attorneys to find a solution. Collaborative divorce is less expensive than a traditional divorce because the parties agree not to litigate. The focus in collaborative law is the health of the whole family, both during and after the divorce. Protecting family relationships, such as between a parent and child, is a key goal.

When necessary, the collaborative team integrates specialists, such as financial experts, child specialists and divorce coaches, to provide specialized knowledge and expertise. These neutral experts focus on the wellbeing of all of the parties and do not act as “hired guns” which often have to be countered by other “hired guns” driving up the cost of litigation.

The team works together to maintain an atmosphere of respect and to preserve each party’s self-esteem, even in the presence of disagreements. Throughout the process, parties have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to negotiate and resolve conflict as they move forward.

Is collaborative divorce a
good option for you?

I welcome the opportunity to answer your questions about collaborative divorce and help determine if it can work for you. To schedule an appointment, please call (912) 234-8604.

Timely and less stressful.

The parties can negotiate all of the issues that are present in a traditional divorce proceeding. Because the setting in collaborative law is more relaxed than a courthouse, the parties usually feel more comfortable discussing their needs and concerns. This often leads to a timely creation of a negotiated settlement.

With delays in the court system, caused by an overload of cases and backlog created by the pandemic, a collaborative divorce can expedite the process and bring closure to the matter much quicker than traditional routes.

Another benefit of collaborative divorce is that it is less stressful on everyone, especially children. Parents work together to create a parenting plan that prioritizes the needs of the children rather than fight each other in court.
Collaborative divorce is usually successful. However, if a settlement cannot be reached through the collaborative process, both parties must hire new lawyers and experts to take their divorce to court.

The end of a relationship can be devastating, but the collaborative law process provides the support and assistance to couples to allow them to negotiate fair and mutually beneficial solutions that allow them and their children to begin new lives with a hopeful future.