In a Collaborative case, clients work with a team of collaboratively trained professionals with the goal of reaching an out-of-court settlement. The team includes two attorneys, a coach/facilitator, and as needed, a financial neutral, child specialist and other professional experts. Each of these team members has a role in the Collaborative process which is described further below:
The Collaborative attorney:
- Represents the client’s interests, taking into account the other party’s interests and the family as a whole
- Refrains from using adversarial techniques
- Educates the client about legal issues
- Works effectively with the other attorney and coach/facilitator to create a structure and environment that maximizes settlement potential
The Collaborative Coach / Facilitator:
- Serves as a neutral focused on managing process, client behavior, and emotions
- Provides expert advice on the psychology of divorce
- Identifies and reinforces effective communication between parties
- Intervenes to contain and manage conflict
- Educates the attorneys about the parties’ communication dynamics
The Neutral Financial Professional:
During the Collaborative process, the parties may choose to engage a neutral financial specialist whose role may include the following:
- Works for both parties as a neutral using agreed upon information
- Provides tax analysis
- Generates financial projections for the future
- Evaluates short and long term financial consequences of decisions
The Child Specialist:
In Divorce and Family Law cases, if parents are unable to agree on how to best serve the needs of their children, they may choose to jointly engage a child specialist to provide advice and assistance specific to their child's needs.
Other Professionals:
During the Collaborative process, the parties may choose to engage other neutral professionals to assist with specific areas that require their unique expertise.
To find Collaborative Professionals who can help:
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