Collaborative Alternatives
IS A COLLABORATIVE ALTERNATIVES DIVORCE THE RIGHT CHOICE?
It may be, if:
The Collaborative Alternatives team may consist of:
Collaborative Lawyers: Each spouse has his/her own Collaborative Lawyer. These lawyers are pledged to help you through your divorce by working cooperatively with you and the Collaborative Alternatives team. They are committed to protecting your rights, but serve as true “counselors”—educating, mediating, and facilitating your legal process. Your Collaborative Lawyer will meet with you individually as well as in four-way meetings with you and your partner and his/her Collaborative Lawyer.
Collaborative Alternatives Coaches: Usually you will have your own Coach, with a coach for the husband and a separate Coach for the wife. Your Coach will support you through the process and work with you to help reduce the stress and strain of the divorce. He/she will meet with you individually and together to develop communication skills that will help you during and after your divorce. Coaches also help you create your co-parenting plan which will guide you and your children in the future.
Child Specialist: Because children are affected in different ways by a divorce, the Child Specialist meets with each of you and your children to see the divorce through your child’s eyes and assess you how your child is doing. The Child Specialist then meets with both of you and your coaches to give you feedback; answer any questions you may have; and give you input to help you design a parenting plan that fits your unique needs.
Financial Specialist: helps you gather and organize financial information needed for the divorce process. The Financial Specialist also helps you determine your immediate and long-term budgets and sort out confusing financial information. As a neutral facilitator, he/she can help you discuss your finances so you are fully aware of your financial resources. Your financial specialist will work closely with you and your lawyers to fully understand your financial options and help you choose the one that best fits for you and your family. Depending on your preferences, the financial specialist will meet with you jointly or separately.
All team members work together to make the divorce process as easy as possible. Each is a specialist in his/her own field and thus can maximize your resources to minimize time and money for you. Each hour is spent working directly with you or on your case. Thus there are no “billable hours” wasted with extraneous paperwork or sitting in court.
You may choose a part or all of the team to help you with your divorce. Coaches can help you decide which specialists are best suited to your individual needs.
It may be, if:
- You want an opportunity to obtain emotional, financial and legal help to guide you through your divorce.
- You are concerned about containing the costs of divorce
- You have children and want to make sure that their needs are addressed.
- You want to contain the conflict that often accompanies divorce.
- You wish a confidential process without adversarial lawyers and without going to trial.
The Collaborative Alternatives team may consist of:
- A Collaborative Lawyer for each individual
- A Divorce Coach for each individual
- A Child Specialist
- A Financial Specialist
Collaborative Lawyers: Each spouse has his/her own Collaborative Lawyer. These lawyers are pledged to help you through your divorce by working cooperatively with you and the Collaborative Alternatives team. They are committed to protecting your rights, but serve as true “counselors”—educating, mediating, and facilitating your legal process. Your Collaborative Lawyer will meet with you individually as well as in four-way meetings with you and your partner and his/her Collaborative Lawyer.
Collaborative Alternatives Coaches: Usually you will have your own Coach, with a coach for the husband and a separate Coach for the wife. Your Coach will support you through the process and work with you to help reduce the stress and strain of the divorce. He/she will meet with you individually and together to develop communication skills that will help you during and after your divorce. Coaches also help you create your co-parenting plan which will guide you and your children in the future.
Child Specialist: Because children are affected in different ways by a divorce, the Child Specialist meets with each of you and your children to see the divorce through your child’s eyes and assess you how your child is doing. The Child Specialist then meets with both of you and your coaches to give you feedback; answer any questions you may have; and give you input to help you design a parenting plan that fits your unique needs.
Financial Specialist: helps you gather and organize financial information needed for the divorce process. The Financial Specialist also helps you determine your immediate and long-term budgets and sort out confusing financial information. As a neutral facilitator, he/she can help you discuss your finances so you are fully aware of your financial resources. Your financial specialist will work closely with you and your lawyers to fully understand your financial options and help you choose the one that best fits for you and your family. Depending on your preferences, the financial specialist will meet with you jointly or separately.
All team members work together to make the divorce process as easy as possible. Each is a specialist in his/her own field and thus can maximize your resources to minimize time and money for you. Each hour is spent working directly with you or on your case. Thus there are no “billable hours” wasted with extraneous paperwork or sitting in court.
You may choose a part or all of the team to help you with your divorce. Coaches can help you decide which specialists are best suited to your individual needs.
