What is Collaborative Divorce All About?
People worldwide celebrate love, so it’s not hard to imagine why marriage is so universally esteemed. We love the idea of two people finding each other and living happily ever after.
In the real world, not all marriages are healthy or even safe, and some people are better off separating. Each person is complex, so relationships between two people are even more so. There’s no universal path toward reconciling after a separation or divorce and moving on amicably, but a professional and empathetic approach is essential.
Please read on to hear more about what that’s like.
More Than Assets and Parenting Time
Lawyers emphasizing collaboration, like those at Tailor Law divorce lawyers understand that parents need more than just winning the battle for custody and assets. A client-focused divorce lawyer uses empathy throughout the process to advocate for their client’s emotional needs, too.
At heart, collaborative divorce is all about understanding that a split between two parents involves more than just them. The lawyers prioritize their client’s needs, but because their clients must focus on their children, their well-being is also the highest priority.
Collaborative lawyers focus on delivering the best legal outcomes possible while taking into account the intangibles of human relationships and even life itself. Put another way, if a parent burns bridges and causes their child needless emotional harm while successfully pursuing custody and assets, it’ll be a pyrrhic victory.
What Collaborative Lawyers Do
The goal of collaborative, holistic lawyers is understandable, but what steps do they take to achieve those goals? One common way involves uncontested divorce, which is usually the cheapest and least expensive because it allows parents to avoid going to court. However, it also requires the parents to agree on terms. When this isn’t possible, the courts may have to decide in the context of a contested divorce.
Clients can also discuss contested divorces at a hearing before a trial. Hopefully, in light of the prospect of the more expensive and emotionally draining court hearing, parents can come to a pre-court agreement. Most actually do!
Parents have essential needs to prepare for as they take a new path in their own life, such as debts, parenting issues, financial support, and more. Ultimately, when both parents are ready to work together to outline their new future apart, that leads to the best results for everyone.
This isn’t always possible, as each parent can only control their own willingness. When amicability isn’t reciprocated, a collaborative lawyer steps in to advocate for all your needs. They’ll listen closely to you to understand where you’re coming from and grasp your priorities.
Such an approach takes sensitivity, not just raw legal expertise. The best resolution possible usually means getting a speedy, affordable compromise all parties can live with. Collaborative divorce lawyers are legal experts who never lose sight of the big picture.
Divorces can be messy, painful, confusing, and expensive. Having a professional legal expert get your back is great, but it’s even better when the goal they work towards encompasses a three-dimensional view of life.
