About Collaborative Divorce
The choices a divorcing couple makes at the beginning of their separation may determine how the divorce turns out, the kind of relationship that the couple will have in the future, and how their children adjust. Divorcing couples experience a wide range of emotions – anger, sadness, distrust, anxiety, among others. The collaborative approach permits people to better manage their emotions so they may make good choices for the future.
Unlike the traditional divorce situation, the collaborative process seeks to help you and your spouse/partner make mutual decisions as opposed to “taking sides”. In traditional negotiation or litigation, the spouses/partners often engage each other as “opponents”, a dynamic which simply aggravates the divorce-related conflict, at considerable emotional and financial expense. Collaborative Law is a new way of handling family law matters whereby the couple and their attorneys agree to work together in resolving the issues by strategies that do not involve adversarial approaches and litigation.
"In my Collaboration Practice, I help people resolve challanging issues and make the transition from being married to single."
The Collaborative Law process seeks to:
- Help parties communicate calmly and openly with each other and express their needs, interests, and emotions appropriately.
- Reach resolution on the issues arising out of the marital relationship.
- Help parties listen to each other and offer creative and workable alternatives that may or may not be available to a court.
- Provide an organized and transparent framework for the parties to discuss issues and reach agreement so that they can move forward with their lives.
At the completion of the process, and at the option of the parties, collaborative attorneys prepare and file all written paperwork to finalize the agreement with the court and complete the divorce.
For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Linking Influence to Trust Behaviors: The Role of Warmth
“A growing body of research suggests that the way to influence — and to lead — is to begin with warmth. Warmth is the conduit of influence. It facilitates trust and the communication and absorption of ideas. Even a few small nonverbal signals — a nod, a smile, an open gesture — can show people that you’re pleased to be in their company and attentive to their concerns. Prioritizing warmth helps you connect immediately with those around you, demonstrating that you hear them, understand them, and can be trusted by them.”
—Spotlight on Influence", Harvard Business Review, July 2013