I am asked in consultations to explain why I think Collaborative Law should be the first stop in any dispute. I am then asked to share those ideas with others who come to my website looking for information, help and assistance. This post is intended share some of those thoughts.

Why is it better to use the Collaborative Family Law process before going to the Court?

Advantages of  Collaborative family law  include :

1. Dedicated professionals with a focus to increasing cooperation and collaboration through  parent driven  and family focused agreements .
2. Increased communication and development of skills for the ‘new reality’. Communication is guided, supported and mentored by the Collaborative Professionals.
3. You  negotiate  while also having the advantages of legal advice . This means that agreements you make are more likely to be well thought out  and supportable in Law.
4. The terms of the Collaborative Agreement make it counter productive for the lawyers to encourage dissension and court involvement.
5. You can end your relationship respectfully without having to resort to negative comments about the other person in order to get your point across to a Judge who will not live the consequences of their decisions about your life. Self respect begins with giving respect to others.
6. Access to neutral mental health and financial professionals to meet the family needs with a focus on resolution through supportive services.
7. The focus is on what a better future can look like rather than who is to blame for the past that brought you to where you are now.
8. If you have children, your parenting relationship does not come to an end. You need to have a way to communicate to make the best parenting decisions for your children – being or making someone a court created weekend parent is rarely a solution that is in a child’s best interests.
9. Your voices are the voices that matter. In the courtroom other people decide what is best for you and your family. In the Collaborative meeting room you decide what is best for you as a family.
10. In the court room you have someone deciding your rights with others listening in . In the Collaborative meeting room you keep the right to decide with  all discussions and agreements remaining confidential.

If you are considering a separation or divorce, and these 10 points make sense to you, give us a call or send an email to book a complimentary 20 minute consultation to get more information and to get some of your divorce process questions answered.