Advantages of Collaborative Divorce

Reduce anxiety, fear and stress, and work in a climate of cooperation where you and your children can thrive.

• You retain control. Though you each have a lawyer, you and your spouse take responsibility for shaping the settlement as the key members of the team.
• You gain support. You craft the settlement cooperatively with your spouse while benefiting from your attorney’s advocacy, problem-solving, and negotiating skills.
• You can focus on settlement. Removing the threat of “going to court” reduces anxiety and fear, thereby helping you focus on finding positive solutions.
• You get more from your resources. The collaborative process is usually found to be more efficient both emotionally and financially, than litigation. When you reach an agreement, it can be finalized within a shorter time frame. You do not get bogged down for months while you wait for a court date.
• You negotiate a better settlement. Every family is unique and every family deserves a unique solution to the issues raised in a separation or divorce proceeding. The collaborative process produces final agreements that are frequently more detailed and complete than any order that would be issued by a judge after a contested court proceeding.
• You lay groundwork for a better future. There is no pain-free way to end a marriage, but by reducing stress, working in a climate of cooperation, and treating each other with respect, you and your spouse are creating an environment in which you and your children can thrive.

Cleveland Academy of
Collaborative Professionals