Divorce Resolution With Dignity

Collaborative Law relies on the commitment of the
spouses and their attorneys to exercise honesty, cooperation, professionalism and integrity in working toward the future well-being of each individual, and, if there are children, the family.

Early non-adversarial participation by the attorneysallows them to use analysis and reasoning to solve problems, generate options and create a positive context for settlement, skills that are lost in the adversarial process.

	WHY COLLABORATIVE LAW? Avoids Court The process on settlement without the constant threat of court intervention. Saves Money The process is generally less time consuming and less costly than litigation. Client is in Charge You control the proceedings as a vital part of the settlement team. Addresses Both Parties' Needs The end product is a reasonable settlement that addresses and meets the needs and concerns of both parties, rather than the most outspoken or most adversarial. It Works It works if problem solving is more important than fighting and if you both want solutions that are fair to each other.
	HOW DOES IT WORK? Informal Setting All issues are resolved through informal 4-way conferences with both of your collaborative lawyers present. Cooperative, Open Approach You and your spouse both commit to a complete, open, and honest exchange of information. You jointly choose any required experts or consultants Creative Problem Solving Your collaborative lawyers guide you toward constructive resolutions of issues that are tailored to your family's needs. Your spouse and his or her attorney are treated as part of a settlement team, not as adversaries. Committed Specialists Collaborative Attorneys are experienced family lawyers who have been specifically trained in collaborative negotiation, cooperative and non-combative behavior. Your lawyers have a financial incentive to succeed: they must settle your case or withdraw.
	WHAT IF WE CAN'T SETTLE If you are unable to reach settlement through the collaborative process, your collaborative lawyers withdraw and you are both free to retain trial attorneys to pursue the matter in court.
	GETTING STARTED Talk With Your Spouse Talk with your spouse about collaborative law; share this formation with him or with her. Select Collaborative Attorneys Each of you must have a Collaborative Law attorney. Members of the San Francisco Collaborative Law Group have been specially trained in the Collaborative Law process, but there are other attorney's who are well suited and willing to participate in the process. If you already have an attorney, ask him or her about Collaborative Law. Meet With Your Attorney Attend the First 4-way Meeting Sign the Collaborative Agreement