Why are you Smiling? Collaborative Divorce.

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you are contemplating divorce, and perhaps you have heard about “collaborative divorce” and want to know what all the fuss is about.

Collaborative Law

Collaborative law is outlined through North Carolina General Statute 50 Article 4. In reviewing the statute, you will find an outline of what a collaborative divorce looks like on the surface, but what is it really?

Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative divorce is an alternative to litigation which focuses on things like transparency, customization, confidentiality, respect, and amity. In a collaborative case, each party hires an attorney that is trained in collaborative divorce. To affirm their agreement to collaborate, the parties and attorneys sign a contract illustrating that they are committed to the process. From there, the parties and attorneys work together to bring in other collaboratively trained professionals that may be useful such as a financial neutral, child specialist, and/or a divorce coach.

Once the team is set, the players meet regularly in a group setting (either in person or virtually) in order to determine the issues the family is facing and then work together in coming up with a solution or solutions. Behind the scenes, everyone works hard to prepare.

In contrast to litigation, collaborative divorce allows you to stay out of the courtroom, commit to co-parenting for the benefit of your children, delve into your needs and concerns, keep things transparent, and use experts’ knowledge in coming up with a workable resolution.