Collaborative Law

Florida Collaborative Law Attorneys

What is Collaborative Law

A new alternative to dispute resolution in Florida, "Collaborative Law" is gaining popularity among divorcing couples. It's the third resource in a lineup consisting of litigation and mediation; like mediation, it employs non-adversarial techniques.

Four Way Negotiations (4way)

You and your spouse each hire your own collaborative lawyer, and you conduct settlement negotiations with your lawyers by your sides -- usually during four-way meetings in which the lawyers act as advisors to the clients instead of taking charge of the process. If you can't reach agreement, then your lawyers must both withdraw, and neither your lawyers nor any member of their firms may represent you in divorce litigation. This means all four participants are committed to reaching a reasonable settlement.

The advantages of collaborative law are threefold:

1. You save the child the trauma of their parents being locked in a combat that lasts for generations;
2. You shorten a process that usually lasts a long time -- as much two-to-three years -- and drags on interminably. With collaborative law, the process can take only four-to-six months, depending on the parties, and;
3. There are the financial savings; in collaborative law, we've found that we often do the entire process for the cost of the initial Order to Show Cause."

The collaborative method reaches for the basic goodness in you and your spouse and looks for win-win solutions. Instead of creating bitterness, it aims to create a renewed respect for -- or a better understanding of -- your ex-spouse and a general feeling that the agreement was a job well done.

Most negotiations end in agreement because of the determination of all participants -- including the lawyers -- to reach that goal. If you fail to achieve an agreement, you'll have a clear understanding of the issues involved, which should help you deal with your new lawyer more effectively -- saving time and money.

Contact our Miami office at 305.914.5677 for experienced, compassionate, and discreet representation. In your free 30 minute in office consultation (by appointment), we will explain the process, discuss your options, and estimate your costs