Definition of Collaborative Attorney
A collaborative attorney is a lawyer who works specifically with couples who have chosen collaboration to dissolve their marriage, rather than litigation. The collaborative lawyer is trained to help couples end their marriage with civility and respect. They have the expertise to help all parties come together and make decisions which create the best post-divorce life possible for all family members. Collaborative attorneys understand how to help the client complete the divorce with a spirit of cooperation.
Collaborative attorneys can help construct child support payments and child custody arrangements. They can negotiate property distribution settlements and spousal support payments, and they can do all of this without going to court, saving time and money.
Collaboration divorce lawyers are generally hired only for the collaboration. Often the parties must sign an agreement to seek other legal help if the collaboration fails. There are many reasons a collaborative lawyer suggests collaboration for a divorce. For instance, collaboration may be the best option for you if you want control over the divorce process, you want to keep the divorce civil and respectful, you want to protect the children from potentially harmful litigation, and you want to ensure important relationships are maintained even after the divorce.