Collaborative Law is a leading edge alternative to the traditional courthouse method of dispute management.  Professionals involved in collaborative cases commit by contract to stay out of court.  Many professionals in the fields of law, finance and mental health are responding eagerly to this method.

The Collaborative Law movement started in 1990 in Minnesota, and has taken hold in many parts of the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  I completed my Collaborative Law training in February 2006 with one of the leaders in this field.  I am very excited about the potential this paradigm holds for my clients.

With a Collaborative Law methodology, both clients meet with both lawyers and allied professionals to build their own agreements on all issues, sharing information with the goal of problem solving.  Couples are able to work at their own pace rather than a court case schedule.  In this  team approach, the law sets merely the baseline, not necessarily the end result.  This invites good will and creative thinking.   Parties and team members alike are encouraged think outside the traditional legal box.  The objective is deep resolution, autonomy, and an individualized outcome for each family. 

Lawyers and other professionals who handle cases of this nature have additional training beyond their particular discipline.  A number of professionals in Pierce County are forming a Collaborative Law practice group.  Olympia and Seattle areas also have such groups.  See the links below for more information, and feel free to call me to find out if Collaborative Law is right for you. 

Member:  International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

International Academy of Collaborative Professionals  www.collaborativepractice.com

Association of Family & Conciliation Courts  www.afccnet.org

Sound Collaboration, Olympia          www.soundcollaboration.org

Washington Collaborative Law, Seattle    www.washcl.org