Like most trial attorneys, I enjoy litigation and the strategy of the courtroom.  Most of my clients, however, do not enjoy litigation.  It can tear apart families and create wounds that take years to heal, if they ever do.  Parents who formerly loved and respected the other parent are forced to bring out every nitpicking fault, in an attempt to gain an advantage in trial.  For these reasons, I often will recommend alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”)  for my clients, where domestic violence is not an issue.

One form of ADR is Collaborative Divorce.  This process allows parties to work as a team, with their attorneys and other professionals to craft their own solutions and sketch their own roadmap for their post-divorce lives.  Rather than working at odds with each other, the parties work together to meet their shared and individual goals.  Each party commits to provide all information necessary for the parties to make their decisions, and each commits to resolve their differences without resorting to an ugly trial.

Litigation is intellectually challenging, but it doesn’t address the emotional needs of the clients – it isn’t healthy for them. The more I learned about collaborative divorce, the more I realized it is often the most complete way to get families through this tough time as whole as possible.

You can find more information about Collaborative Practice here.