Collaborative divorce is a unique alternative to the traditional adversarial divorce court process. It is designed to provide maximum support and resources for divorcing couples in reaching a mutually acceptable resolution of all the issues associated with a divorce and the resulting life changes. Collaborative divorce is designed to make sure the needs of both spouses and their minor children are heard, understood, and considered with respect.
The Collaborative Approach
The Collaborative Practice Kansas City approach helps you move beyond reactive-based positions toward interest-based agreements. Collaborative agreements are built to work for both spouses, focusing on your values and your needs instead of a win-lose mentality. In the collaborative process, a team of professionals addresses the legal, financial, and emotional needs of each spouse.
Using professionals who have specific expertise provides an efficient, effective, and generally more affordable divorce process. You and your spouse each retain your own family law attorney trained in the collaborative process to provide counsel, legal advice, assistance in reaching an agreement, and to draft the necessary documents to reflect your agreements needed to initiate and conclude the legal divorce.
You and your spouse will also jointly retain a collaborative neutral financial specialist and a collaborative neutral coach who will work with you to gather the information needed to reach a mutually acceptable divorce agreement as effectively, efficiently, and affordably as possible.
A distinguishing requirement of the collaborative process is that both spouses and the attorney of each spouse agree in a written Participation Agreement that they will not file any action in court during the time the spouses are working toward a settlement. Should you and your spouse be unable to reach a final agreement on all issues, the Participation Agreement also provides that the collaborative attorneys and the other team professionals will withdraw from their representation and you and your spouse will each have to retain different attorneys to litigate your divorce in court.
Collaborative Divorce Professionals
Research shows one of the best predictors of a positive collaborative divorce process and outcome occurs when the divorcing spouses select Collaborative Professionals who respect each other and who have successful track records of settling cases together, working together effectively and efficiently to help you reach creative, respectful and thoughtful solutions. Members of the Collaborative Practice Kansas City meet International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) standards for practice excellence.
To find out if collaborative divorce is right for you, contact our team today.
