Attorneys Play a Unique Role in a Collaborative Divorce
In a traditional adversarial divorce, attorneys are pitted against each other, trying to win for their client. You can imagine them fighting to get the largest piece of the pie for their client, regardless of the harm it may cause to the other party or the family as a whole. The goal of winning encourages the attorney to take advantage of any mistake by the other attorney and engaging in other tactics to “win.”
The Collaborative attorney continues to be an advocate and counselor for their client. However, it is the goal of every professional on the Collaborative team, including the Collaborative attorney, to meet the interests of the family as a whole. This means that whenever possible, the Collaborative attorney will try to add value (or make the pie larger) for both parties. This also means that the Collaborative attorney will not take advantage of mistakes by the other attorney. Finally, unlike the attorney in a traditional adversarial divorce process, the Collaborative attorney is motivated to help the parties settle because they must withdraw from the case if negotiations break down.
If you would like more information about the Collaborative process, please call Family Divorce Solutions to find out more.