Collaborative Divorce
Who is an Effective Collaborative Attorney?
Who is an effective collaborative attorney? An effective collaborative attorney is confident in her ability to practice law; she has an appropriate amount of experience in her practice area, in this case in the dissolution of marriages. As with any other practice method or area, it is crucial for your attorney to be skilled in…
Read MoreDon’t Be a Pelican!
Collaborative Divorce isn’t just a process; it’s a vocation. I recently escaped for ten days to the Virgin Islands to take a breath, to re-examine my role in the collaborative process, and to assess whether I am doing all that I can to move the process into the mainstream. Ten days without shoes, without my…
Read MoreThe Collaborative Process: Initial Conversations Between Co-Collaborative Counsel and Choosing Neutrals
As soon as both clients have chosen their collaborative process attorneys, if you have not yet, reach out to your co-collaborative counsel (that would be “opposing counsel” in a litigated case) and introduce yourself. You should begin discussing who might be appropriate team members in light of the issues involved in the divorce at hand…
Read MoreRespectful Dialogue A Contagious Core Value of the Collaborative Divorce Process
Disrespectfulness is not tolerated in the collaborative divorce process. We can probably all sadly agree that our society is devolving into a culture of disrespect. Rather than learning to respect others, because of what the media and our political leaders demonstrate for them on a daily basis, our children learn to disrespect them. Our government…
Read MoreAsking Divorce Questions: Is Collaboration Right For You?
Ask Yourself These Questions Before Choosing Collaboration For Your Divorce Process. Divorce is stressful. Before you even begin your divorce, you must choose how you want to get divorced. Litigation, mediation, cooperation, collaboration . . . there are numerous options. So, is collaboration the right process for you? Answer the following questions to determine…
Read MoreWords Matter
“Words matter. They’re contagious. And hopeful words infect people.” -Angela Maiers My girlfriend asks me what brand of eyeliner I use. I can’t remember that kind of stuff so I tell her it’s purple and I think it’s oil-based because you smear it with a brush after you stroke it on. She asks me again…
Read MoreBrainstorming
Brainstorming settlement ideas is a crucial component of the collaborative process. Collaborative practice provides an open environment that encourages everyone on the team to participate. The participants should feel as though their thoughts are being heard and their interests validated. Collaborative professionals will encourage active listening in a casual environment. The brainstorming step follows the…
Read MoreThe Opposing Counsel
It’s a funny thing about collaborative cases; we trial lawyers are so accustomed to our secret language that it turns out collaborative practice is not just about making the paradigm shift in our attitudes, but it’s also about making that adjustment in the very language we use when we discuss our cases. Our special shorthand,…
Read MoreTHE SEVEN BIGGEST DIVORCE MISTAKES #6
When making any major life decision, always get a second opinion! A lawyer should explain the various divorce options available for obtaining that final judgment. But lawyers are human. They have biases. They make mistakes. They want to make money. Always get a second opinion before choosing an attorney. But once you do retain counsel, take…
Read MoreWould Moving Out Constitute Abandonment of the Marital Home?
Are you thinking about getting a divorce? Are you worried that if you move out, the Court will conclude that you abandoned the home? That’s a common question that’s often raised in dissolution of marriage cases. Rest assured, just because you relocate does not establish that you’ve abandoned your home. In fact, there’s a presumption…
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