There are three roads to
divorce in Massachusetts – Adversarial, Collaborative, and
Mediation. Each road has the same two objectives: getting you
divorced and getting you resolution on issues surrounding any children,
property and money.
No one road will use the same way to get resolution on children,
property and money. Each road uses a different approach, tailored to
meet different needs.
No approach is inherently wrong, but matching the
appropriate one to the appropriate circumstances can mean getting
through a divorce with the least expenditure of emotional trauma, time and
money.
Collaborative Divorce should never be confused with divorce mediation.
In
Collaborative Divorce you have an attorney at your side and so does your
spouse. Both attorneys are specially trained in Collaborative Divorce. (Not all lawyers are trained or certified to practice Collaborative
Divorce.)
Lawyers and spouses have one goal in Collaborative Divorce, the
cooperative resolution of all issues without the threat of trial.
Both
attorneys and spouses cooperate in gathering all information necessary to
resolve disputed issues. Since neither attorney need be concerned about a
trial, each is free to consider all options for obtaining a satisfactory
resolution.
If one party decides to convert to the Adversarial road, both attorneys
must withdraw, and certain information they gathered cannot be used in the
adversarial divorce.
Collaborative Divorce is best for parties who trust each other and prefer
to have an experienced divorce lawyer advocating for their interests. |
AS YOUR COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE ATTORNEY:
I answer your questions about the law and help
you make important economic and emotional decisions throughout the
Collaborative Divorce process.
I know that guiding you through the
Collaborative Divorce process is my most important job.
I negotiate with your spouse's lawyer to make
sure that your needs, and the needs of your children, if you have
children, are met.
I work with you, your spouse and your spouse's
attorney to get you through the process as quickly and painlessly as
possible.
I will likely save you money, time and emotional trauma.
See The Three Roads to Divorce to learn more
about your options.
To learn more about my other services go to:
Adversarial Divorce,
Mediation,
Divorce Arbitration, Divorce Coaching
and Negotiation Help. |
Collaborative Divorce is often the least expensive road since court
appearances are avoided and delays common to mediation are avoided.
(To compare and contrast the three roads to a Massachusetts divorce see
The Three
Roads to Divorce.)
I helped establish the Massachusetts Collaborative Law
Council and was a founding director. I am also a
founder of North Shore Collaborative Divorce, a group of Collaborative
Divorce lawyers serving the greater Salem, Gloucester, Marblehead,
Hamilton and Andover areas. |
