How Collaborative Family Law Process Works...

• You and your partner each instruct your own trained collaborative lawyer.
   
• All negotiations are done in face-to-face meetings (called "4-ways") with you, your partner, and the two lawyers working together to resolve the issues.
   
• You cannot go to court, except to deal with uncontested divorce proceedings and to get court approval for the financial agreement that you reach.
   
• Your collaborative lawyers are there to provide support, guidance and legal advice , both in and outside of the 4-ways. Although the lawyers are committed to helping both you and partner reach a settlement, your lawyer still has a professional duty to advise you personally.
   
• Other experts, such as counsellors, family consultants, accountants and financial professionals can be brought in to assist , if everyone agrees that this is needed or would be helpful.
   
• You and your partner disclose all relevant financial and other information openly and honestly through the collaborative process.
   
• You and your partner , with the help of the lawyers, set the agenda and the timetable – you talk about what matters to you at your own pace.
   
• If you have children , their interests will be at the heart of the process.
   
• If you cannot reach agreement and have to ask the court to intervene , each of you will have to instruct a different lawyer.

If these are things important to you, why not give one of our specially trained collaborative lawyers a call to find out more?