Collaborative Process
Collaborative Law Basics
The first step in the Collaborative Process is signing the Collaborative Participation Agreement. You can review the Collaborative Participation Agreement here. The primary purpose of the contract is a commitment to resolve your case out of court. In the contract, you and your spouse also argee to conduct yourselves respectfully, honestly, and in good faith.
You agree to provide one another with all the information needed to complete the case. You also agree to work toward shared goals and interests, which are expressed during the first Collaborative meeting.
You can review some sample Collaborative goals and interests here.
Once the Collaborative Participation Agreement is signed, neither party may file for divorce against the other without first giving notice that the process will be terminated, and both parties hiring new attorneys. This ensures that both parties sign the contract in good faith, with the intention of reaching a mutually acceptable conclusion within the Collaborative Process.
In addition to the Collaborative attorneys, most Collaborative cases also involve neutral expert participants who are also trained in the Collaborative process. A trained mental health professional will serve as the Family Relations Specialist. The Family Relations Specialist facilitates the Collaborative meetings, assists the parties in resolving parenting issues, and can manage the often difficult emotions attendant to divorce. The Financial Neutral may be a trained tax professional, financial advisor, QDRO attorney, appraiser, or business valuator, depending on the issues involved in the case.
