What is Collaborative Practice?

Collaborative Practice, including Collaborative Law and interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce is a relatively new way for you to resolve disputes respectfully.

The heart of Collaborative Law or Collaborative Divorce (also called “no court divorce”, “divorce with dignity”, “peaceful divorce”) is to offer you and your spouse or partner the support, protection and guidance of your own lawyers without going to court. Additionally, Collaborative Divorce allows you the benefit of child and financial specialists, divorce coaches and other professionals all working together as a team.

Collaborative Practice involves:

• Negotiating a mutually acceptable settlement without having a court decide issues;
• Maintaining open communication and information sharing; and
• Creating shared solutions acknowledging the highest priorities of the parties.

If the following describes you and your spouse you may be candidates for collaborative law:

• "I want to maintain the tone of respect, even when we disagree."
• "I want to prioritize the needs of our children."
• "My needs and those of my spouse require equal consideration, and I will listen objectively."
• "I believe that working creatively and cooperatively solves issues."
• "It is important to reach beyond today's frustration and pain to plan for the future."
• "I can behave ethically toward my spouse."
• "I choose to maintain control of the divorce process with my spouse, and not relegate it to the courts."

Both Barbara Gervase and David Vallone are both trained in collaborative law.