Collaborative Law
Collaborative Law is a way for spouses to bring a resolution to the end of their marriage with the benefit of his or her own attorney, but without the involvement of the courts in the early stages. It is a process defined by the family as private, with the mutual goal of reaching a fair settlement. The timetable is set by the parties and their attorneys, and adjusted to meet the needs of the family. Even though the case is not in adversarial litigation, financial information is shared, often with the help of a neutral accountant. Depending on the complexity of the issues, collaborative divorces often use a team approach to bring in neutral experts, such as accountants and therapists, to help collect information, and to develop scenarios for resolution.
Collaborative Law is not for everyone. All parties in a collaborative divorce sign on to a fair solution, so it's not for the person who wants to win-at-all-costs. It puts children first, so it's not for the person who wants to use the children against the other parent. It's not for couples in which one party fears for his or her safety. And it's not for couples who want a public court decision declaring the wrongs the other spouse has done to him or her.
Both Mia Cahill and Grace Dennigan are founding members of the Mid-Jersey Collaborative Law Association.