Community/Religious Group/Media Education:
Collaborative Divorce Q&A
- What is Collaborative Law?
Collaborative Law is a distinctly empowering way to resolve disputes. It
is a constructive way to create agreements that work for everyone
involved.
- How does Collaborative Law differ from mediation?
In mediation, two parties hire one mediator to facilitate
discussion aimed at settlement. In collaborative law, both parties hire their own lawyers, or advocates, to work together openly and honestly to resolve the parties’ dispute. In contrast to mediation, collaborative lawyers do give their clients legal advice that will support them in crafting solutions. The two lawyers work as a team together with their clients to problem solve. The collaborative law process includes meetings between parties and their lawyers as well as “four-way meetings” during which everyone comes together to discuss solutions. Collaborative
lawyers are not objective as a mediator, but
rather involved and invested in finding a solution with integrity.
- How is Collaborative Law different from conventional courtroom litigation?
Typically, conventional family law litigation lasts
from 12-48 months, costs on average $20,000 per
person, and fails to resolve all of the issues o the satisfaction
of both parties (there is a 90% chance of post-agreement
litigation of subsequent issues.) In contrast,
the collaborative law process lasts
4-8 months, on average costs $4,000 with a les
s than 5% of post-agreement litigation of subsequent
issues. Clients typically finish the process having experienced a relative “win-win” rather
than feeling completely devastated by the adversarial
battle often found in conventional litigation.
- When is Collaborative Law not appropriate?
Collaborative law may not be appropriate when there has
been a history of violence, psychological abuse, or in
cases involving alcohol or drug abuse. If the two
parties are not willing to participate
openly and honestly, the collaborative process will also not
be appropriate or effective.
- What do Collaborative Law clients say about the collaborative process?
Collaborative law patients often report that the process was one of cooperation and healing. Usually, the parties in a collaborative law oprocess ae very grateful to have avoided the destructive nature of conventional litigation.
- What type of solutions can be created through the Collaborative process?
This is the dynamic aspect of Collaborative Law. Thinking collaboratively, the parties can create agreements thinking “outside the box.” Rather
than having a third party (such as a mediator or
judge) make decisions, the parties have the freedom to custom
tailor agreements to their lifestyle, and they can
problem-solve without the pressure of a court hearing looming.
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Law Group pllc
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Storch
Law Group, PLLC serves both the Eastside Puget Sound communities of Bellevue,
Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah and the Sammamish Plateau as well as the
Greater Seattle area as specialists in all aspects of Collaborative Family
legal issues including Collaborative Divorce, Mediation, Guardianship,
Estate/Probate law, and other Collaborative Family Law cases. Contact
Melissa Shields Storch today.
Storch Law Group, PLLC | 5400 Carillon Point, Bldg 5000, Kirkland WA 98033 425.941.5936 fax 425.898.1534
Member
Washington
state's collaborative law practice group
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