Collaborative law provides an alternative to resolving family disputes by taking the disputed matter out of the courts and working collaboratively with your spouse and the collaborative lawyers you have chosen. While traditional divorces are often about “fighting and winning”, a collaborative divorce is more about “troubleshooting and problem solving.”
As part of the collaborative approach to divorce, both spouses retain separate attorneys who help them settle all significant concerns surrounding their divorce. In the process, no one goes to court. If that occurs, the collaborative process dissolves, and the attorneys are disqualified from further involvement in the case.
Maxim Smith, a collaborative divorce attorney in St. Paul, Minnesota helps individuals throughout the Twin Cities who opt for this lower conflict way of obtaining a divorce. But, before suggesting you go through a collaborative divorce, we first analyze your unique situation, your emotional standing with each other, and many other factors.
Collaborative Law: Strong Outcomes And A Better Future
The collaborative law process recognizes that differences exist between couples which have risen to their decision to divorce. The collaborative law process appreciates the legal system and courts should not be making decisions about your future. In a collaborative divorce, each partner commits to working for the well-being of the entire family and abiding by the contract signed in the very beginning.
The contractual agreement states that the parties will be open to accepting help from outside experts where necessary, will disclose all documents and information truthfully, will avoid hurling disrespectful words to their partner, and will insulate the children from the divorce process, thus minimizing the impact of the process on them. Besides these, the partners agree to work on common grounds of care and respect to reach a win-win solution.
A team of professionals aids the attorneys and the spouses to arrive at decisions where external help is vital. A parenting consultant, for example, may play a crucial role in a collaborative divorce. These professionals work with the children of the separating parents to help them cope and communicate with their parents freely and to not blame themselves for their parents’ divorce.
At Maxim Smith, our St. Paul collaborative divorce attorney can help you decide whether collaborative approach will best suit your situation, and if it would, we help you through the process. If you are interested in investigating whether the collaborative process will be right for you, please contact us today. We will confidentially discuss your situation with you and let you know if we think you are a good candidate for a collaborative divorce.
Mindful Family Law: Choose A Less Stressful Divorce Process
With her background in clinical psychology, collaborative attorney Allison Maxim can understand the intentions and motives of partners going through a divorce. Her study in psychology enables Allison to deal with you as a caring, compassionate lawyer who is focused on helping you come through your divorce emotionally intact.
A traditional divorce process involves mental upheaval and a lot of money. Whereas, the collaborative divorce process does not burn through your hard-earned savings. Rather, it offers a more peaceful way to divorce. In fact, collaborative law attorney Allison Maxim has developed a website to help her clients maintain a mindful approach to their collaborative law case.
At Maxim Smith, we emphasize the importance of practicing mindfulness while going through a divorce. Our collaborative law attorney Allison Maxim practices mindfulness with all her clients and suggests they fully engage in this process. With a mindful approach, you stay calm and focused in the present. This approach helps relieve stress and establishes a feeling of mental peace and calmness. Visit Allison’s website, Mindful Family Law, for tips and suggestions to stay relaxed and to maintain a positive mental attitude throughout the divorce process.
At Maxim Smith, we understand the repercussions of a divorce on your overall health, so we want to suggest strategies that result in the least friction. A collaborative divorce is that way.
If you think collaborative divorce may be an option for you, contact Allison Maxim at 651-294-2407 for a consultation to learn more about it.
We work to reduce stress and induce peace and serenity.
Client Feedback
A collaborative family lawyer is a lawyer whose goal is to help a client successfully navigate the terms of their divorce or custody issue without having to go to court. In a collaborative divorce, each partner commits to working for the well-being of the entire family and abiding by the contract signed in the very beginning.
If you cannot reach a settlement with your ex, you’ll be forced to go before a judge and have the court decide the terms of your divorce or child custody. This isn’t necessarily the best option for you and your family, which is why many people choose collaborative law. With the assistance of a collaborative law attorney, you’ll have a good chance of successfully negotiating the terms of your divorce.
You can start the collaborative law process by contacting a collaborative law attorney in St. Paul. Your attorney will help you create a contract, set up negotiations, and file all necessary paperwork with the court.
Yes. Even if your spouse has filed for divorce, you can choose to resolve the divorce in mediation. The goal of collaborative law isn’t to prevent a divorce from occurring; it’s to keep the divorce as fair and harmonious as possible.
Just like any other type of divorce, the length of a collaborative divorce can vary. Generally, you can finish a collaborative divorce more quickly than an in-court divorce because you’ll avoid the multiple court dates and some of the back-and-forth between your spouse and yourself. This can mean you’ll save money on your divorce if you choose the collaborative divorce, but it depends on the couple.
When you enter into a collaborative divorce, both you and your spouse will sign a contract. The contractual agreement states that the parties will be open to accepting help from outside experts where necessary. You’ll bring in a neutral third party to conduct the appraisal of property or a business so both spouses are satisfied with the expert’s opinion.
They are very similar, but mediation often occurs with the help of a neutral mediator. This person facilitates discussions and suggests compromises for the parties to consider. Collaboration is not neutral; both parties generally hire an attorney whose job it is to represent their interests. However, the parties do agree to be civil, truthful, and open minded during negotiations.
If you believe you can get along well enough with your spouse to reach an agreement out of court, a collaborative divorce may be right for you. Contact Maxim Smith Family Law’s collaborative divorce attorneys in St. Paul to learn more about whether you’re a good candidate for a collaborative divorce.
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