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well first of all the key components to
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a collaborative divorce are that the
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parties are in control of of the process
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and the decisions that um end up being
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the resolution in the process it’s a
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completely confidential process so as it
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differs from litigation you’re not in
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court with everybody hearing your issues
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and it’s in a supportive team
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environment so each party still has
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their own lawyer to support them in the
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process they also have a mental health
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professional that is there to support
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them in the process with being able to
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communicate their needs and interests
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and also help them with any roadblocks
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that they might be having in the process
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and then other team members are brought
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into that process into that supportive
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environment based on the needs of the
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particular parties or the case so for
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example usually there’s a financial
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person that’s brought into the process
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who will hand What’s called the
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disclosures which are required in all
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family law cases and handle those or you
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know you might need a business valuation
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so you might bring in a team member who
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would handle that or you might need to
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have a retirement valued or you might
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need to have a house appraised so you
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might bring in different in uh team
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members to address uh a particular need
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of the team or of the parties at you
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know during the process there’s also
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what called a child specialist who’s
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brought in as a team member who handles
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um issues that the parties may be having
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around their children and it’s very
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different than what happens in
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litigation where if the parties can’t
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agree they’re going to a mental health
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professional who’s usually making a
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recommendation to the court as to what’s
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in the best interest of the children
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again parties giving up control about
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you know how to handle um what’s best
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for their own children in the
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collaborative process the child
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specialist comes in meets with the child
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separately meets with the parents
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separately and then brings information
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back to the team on what’s in the best
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interest of the children and and what’s
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happening with them developmentally uh
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how they’re experiencing the divorce and
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it’s just a really great piece of
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information for the parties then who
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sometimes for the first time are hearing
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about things needs that their kids have
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that they have had no clue beforehand
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and then bringing that information back
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and instead of making a recommendation
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about well based on this information
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this is what I recommend is best you
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know for a parenting plan the
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information is brought back and then
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there’s a discussion had and then the
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parties themselves um with the support
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of the team come up with a plan that’s
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best for their children and so these
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types of agreements that come from this
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process tend to be much more um long
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lasting and satisfactory to the parties
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because they’re creating their own
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Solutions with the assistance of
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professionals who are all trained in
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their specific areas so everybody’s
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working at their most efficient level