Ask the ExpertsCollaborative Law

In many cases, divorces are financially devastating.  This is particularly true for farm families – many litigated outcomes can cause farmers’ operations to be irreparably crippled.  The Collaborative Process can help farmers weather the storm of divorce better.

In the Collaborative Process, the separating spouses and their lawyers engage in 4-way meetings to find creative options for resolution.

This Process allows you to set your own agenda and timetable.  The spouses identify the issues to be discussed.  Depending on the complexity of the issues and the level of conflict, 5 topics could be discussed in one meeting, or one topic may take …

You’re part of a growing trend of people who have heard about collaborative family law, but aren’t sure if they want to “buy in” to the process.

You may have read my article a couple months ago introducing collaborative law as structured process, which offers families an alternative to court in resolving their family dispute, including separation, divorce, and other disputes. It allows parties to focus on what is important to them and to their families in order to reach an acceptable solution. The parties and their lawyers form a core team, working together in 4-way meetings to address and creatively …

First things first… CONGRATULATIONS on choosing a process that is going to put your children in the centre, instead of in the middle.

As you likely know, the Collaborative Process is based on the idea that all of your discussions about your separation and divorce will occur within the context of “4-way meetings”.  Here is your cheat sheet about the Process.

Who: Usually it’s only you, your spouse, and each lawyer.  If everyone consents, others may join the meetings such as professional advisors or family members.  The separating spouses are responsible for determining the outcomes, and the lawyers are responsible …

After you separate, it is almost certain that some level of trust between you and your former spouse has been broken.  You do not need this trust to be rebuilt before embarking on the Collaborative Process.

The Collaborative Process is a process where you and your spouse will sit down with your lawyers and resolve your separation and divorce issues openly and honestly.  Before you enter into this Process, the parties and the lawyer will sign a legally-binding contract which requires that each spouse will be transparent in the information that they provide during the process. This is key to the …

I thought I would use this opportunity to share with you a gem of a website that I found: www.ourfamilywizard.com. This site is a tool to assist separated or divorced families communicate over the Internet.

This can be called a form of “parallel parenting”, which is a way for parents to communicate without the need to interact face-to-face.

This site helps parents maintain and coordinate schedules, share health records, immunization histories, expense information, and other important family information. There is also an online storage tool to keep family documents safe and accessible to both parents.

How it works: Each parent is …

First, I want to congratulate you for recognizing that you need to focus energy on helping your kids get through your separation and/or divorce. The other day I heard a statistic from a U.S. based study which astonished me: 45% of families going through a divorce only say a couple of remarks to their kids to explain the fact that mom and dad are getting a divorce. 15% of families say nothing at all. Only 5% of families actually sit down with their children to explain what is happening to their family unit.

So often, kids think that their parents divorce …

My philosophy on choosing the right lawyer is simple – TEAMWORK: make sure that you feel comfortable enough with your lawyer to be able to work together as a team. Regardless of the type of issue you need to resolve, you will likely need to have a number of meetings, telephone calls, and other contact with your lawyer. When your lawyer is negotiating with the other party/parties, you will be asked to participate in those discussions or provide your comments throughout the negotiations.

The better you are able to communicate with your lawyer, the smoother your matter is likely able to …

This is a topic I hold dear to me because of the positive effects it can have on families going through separation and divorce.

Collaborative Family Law is a structured process which offers families an alternative to court in resolving their family dispute. It allows parties to focus on what is important to them and to their families in order to reach an acceptable solution.

Before the process can begin, both parties and their lawyers sign a Participation Agreement committing to establish an open and cooperative environment while maintaining confidentiality. The parties and their lawyers form a core team, working together in …