Divorce is an incredibly stressful situation for everyone involved,
especially the children. Collaborative family law is a method of
encouraging collaboration and cooperation among divorcing spouses by
attempting to reach agreements in a dignified and respectable approach.
The goal is to have the divorcing spouses work cooperatively to settle
issues for the separation agreement to make the divorce process
smoother. The most important people in the picture are the children, who
truly have no voice when their parents face divorce. By creating an
atmosphere where the issues are dealt with privately – outside of the
court – in a rational demeanor, settlements can be reached much quicker
and affordably, as well as much less emotionally with the help of a
collaborative family lawyer.
Cooperation and Communication
The
two keys of coming up with an agreeable settlement is cooperation and
communication. Without these two elements, a settlement will be lengthy,
drawn out, and emotionally draining. It is imperative for the divorcing
parties to have some amount of mutual respect for each other – and for
their children – in order for them to set aside their differences in
order to come to an agreement. The most important aspect in these
agreements and settlements is to ensure that all parties leave with some
amount of dignity and integrity by using the expertise of a
collaborative family lawyer.
What is Collaborative Family Law?
In
essence, collaborative family law is a voluntary process whereby
conflicts are resolved in a cooperative manner for all involved. Parties
involved enter into a “Participation Agreement” where all parties –
including their respective lawyers – agree to the process. This process
attempts to resolve any issues or conflicts without having to drag out
the dissolved marriage through the courts to let a judge make decisions.
Doing so can save a time, money, and a lot of heartache.
The
lawyers involved in this process are there to provide legal advice to
their clients, and help them come to an agreement in the settlement of
their estate, affairs, and their children (if any).
What Are the Advantages of Collaborative Family Law?
The
advantages of such an approach are obvious. The encouragement of a
cooperative and respectful dissolution of marriage will save emotional
distress for both the divorcing couple and their children. In addition,
the money saved by keeping the divorce out of the courts can be
significant. And lastly, the ultimate decision on the estate, finances
and the children are completely up to the divorcing couple – rather than
leaving it up to a judge to decide what happens with these situations.
Getting the Experts on Your Team
Diane
Daly has been helping divorcing couples amicably end their marriage
with as much dignity as possible. She is a member of the International
Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Ontario Collaborative Law
Federation, Hamilton-Halton Collaborative Practice Group and the
Halton-Peel Collaborative Practice Group. She is highly trained and
knowledgeable in this field. Diane and her team are extremely concerned
about any dependents or children involved in the dissolution of a
marriage, and help families move on to a better tomorrow.