collaborative law lawyer in Greensboro NC

Collaborative Lawyer in Greensboro

When we think of divorce, we often think of conflict, acrimony, and the transfer of family funds from spousal accounts to those of law firms. Traditional litigation can be prolonged, exhausting, expensive, and damaging to all parties involved. However, North Carolina law now facilitates the ability to avoid least some of this through a process called “Collaborative Law.”

What is Collaborative Law?

Collaborative Law, in brief, is as follows: Four participants – the two lawyers and the two spouses – sign a contract that they will not engage in court litigation, and that they will adhere to fundamental Collaborative Law principles that include full disclosure, fair dealing, and respect for others. The contract further provides that if the parties are unable to resolve their issues and insist on court, both parties will hire completely new attorneys.

How Does Collaborative Law Work?

The parties then participate in a series of meetings (“four-way conferences”) where they identify and resolve their issues, in the order most important to the parties.  Because every situation is unique, the areas of concern vary. Sometimes the most pressing matter is who will leave the home and how; sometimes how to help children adjust to the separation; at other times how to support two households where previously only one existed. If necessary, the assistance of counselors, financial advisors, or other professionals is enlisted, all with the mutual consent and participation of the spouses. A family therapist might be called upon to help the spouses find effective ways to communicate and to parent children in the new family dynamic. A psychologist might be called upon to assist a party suffering from a mental health issue. Substance abuse matters can be openly addressed and solutions implemented. Financial advisors can be used to develop plans for the future and analyze the implications of settlement options. Mutually agreeable appraisers can be hired to value significant property interests.  This is done, not without conflict, but with transparency and cooperation.

What are the Benefits of Collaborative Law when dealing with Divorce?

This may all sound expensive, but in the end it is commonly less expensive, less time consuming, and more constructive to hire these professionals to help with this transition than a series of court hearings and rulings over which litigants have little control. With Collaborative Law people are given time to consider their options, to make decisions, and to engage in creative problem solving. The goal of the collaborative process is the creation of a binding and legally enforceable contract that resolves the parties’ domestic issues, now and in the future. When this is accomplished the participants, although not entirely unscathed, can know that they crafted their own future, at their own pace.

Greensboro Collaborative Law Lawyer

If you or someone you know is currently separated, in the process of being separated, or wanting to go over how you go about a collaborative law divorce, contact our divorce lawyers in Greensboro, NC today. We have two board certified family law specialists at our law firm, and we can create a plan that best fits your needs for the future. We’re here to help you.