Each person is represented by their own lawyer. Decisions are made jointly in team meetings.
The team
The team is made up of two lawyers, a financial professional, and a family professional. Collaborative family lawyers, financial professionals, and family professionals are specially trained for this work.
Everyone in a family matter needs to be fully informed before making decisions that will affect their children or their financial future. A lack of information is often what keeps people from moving toward an agreement.
In a traditional negotiation or in litigation, each person commonly works with an expert who gives an opinion on the value of a house or a business, on stock options, or on the parenting arrangement that would be in the children’s best interests. At the end, the parties and their lawyers are often left with two different expert opinions. In a collaborative process, neutral experts are used, selected by both parties with the help of their lawyers.
Stephen’s role
The family professional helps manage the strong emotions in the process and the issues that shape a strong parenting plan. That can include communication protocols, schedules, and the many parenting questions that arise when parents separate. The work supports the separating couple in everything related to the children and the family, including facilitating and improving communication.
Financial professionals provide neutral financial information, including ways to optimize tax savings for the family, valuation of assets, and projections and plans that help each person reach their financial goals.
The cost of these neutral professionals is shared by the parties.
For more on the collaborative process, and for collaborative professionals in this region, see the Peel Halton Collaborative Practice Group.