History of Collaborative Divorce

History of Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorce is a newcomer in the field of divorce resolutions, but it is one that we are strongly in favor of. In a collaborative divorce, lawyers trained in the practice form a team with counselors and financial advisers to help both parties find an amicable solution to their divorce problems without having to go to court.

The process was the brainchild of Stuart Webb. He became an attorney because he wanted to help people, but he saw that his clients were unhappy about the entire process. In his first year of trying collaborative divorce only two of his 98 cases ended up going to trial, and his clients were much happier.and his clients were much happier.

The goal in a collaborative divorce is not to try to keep the couple together. That falls under mediation or marriage counseling. What collaborative divorce tries to do is defuse the emotions between the couple so they can focus on splitting up amicably, fairly, and as completely as their circumstances allow.

Collaborative divorce is often much cheaper than going to court. The costs of counselors and financial advisors can be much less than attorney’s fees. However, there is a catch. If the couple cannot come to decision and decide to go to court anyway, they cannot use the team they worked with to avoid a conflict of interest. Collaborative divorce has been called “divorce for grown-ups” for this reason. There are also cases where it is best to go straight to court, such as in abuse cases or in cases where one partner is manipulative.

When both partners can work together to split up, a divorce can go much smoother. Participants also learn coping strategies to deal with emotions that may come up after the divorce, especially for co-parents. For more information about collaborative divorce, contact Elise Buie Family Law Group, PLLC to schedule a consultation.

STAY UP TO DATE

Subscribe to our newsletters

 
Subscribe to one or more of our newsletters, delivering meaningful insight on topics that matter to you and your family.
ebl home subscribe image

FURTHER READING

Latest Blog Posts

Hear from an experienced Seattle estate planning attorney how a simultaneous death clause could impact your Washington state estate plan.

Hear from a Seattle family law attorney how and why children often act out during a divorce and what you can do about it.

Learn from an experienced Seattle estate planning lawyer what happens if someone dies owing a debt. Does the debt go away when they die? The final article in a three-part series about probate in Washington state.

Divorce can do many things, including ruin summer camp for your kids if you let it. A Seattle family lawyer explains how not to allow this.

Learn from an experienced Seattle family law how you can navigate a high-asset divorce if you are the low- or non-earning spouse.

Learn from a Seattle estate planning lawyer what the biggest estate planning mistakes are and how to avoid them.

Hear from an experienced Seattle family law attorney whether a postnuptial agreement can save a troubled marriage.

Learn strategies from a Seattle family law attorney about how to have the estate planning talk with your parents.

Hear from a Seattle family law attorney about how to defend against false allegations in a Washington state divorce.

Learn from an experienced Seattle family law attorney who pays for summer camp in Washington state after a divorce.