I’m thinking about collaborative divorce? What is your generally recommended approach?
Please see the Gitlin Law Frim’s general Q&A regarding collaborative divorce. The first step is to interview a lawyer who has been trained in collaborative divorce. Many lawyers “claim” that they can handle a divorce collaboratively. But collaborate divorce involves a different way of thinking compared to traditional adversarial divorce. That means, one should consult with a lawyer who has specific training in collaborative divorce and is a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois. After or even before the initial conference, I recommend that clients read up on collaborative divorce.
Ok. What are the good books which discuss collaborative practice — which are not written for lawyers (or other professionals) but for the people going through a divorce?
There are two good books. They were published ten years ago — in the summer of 2006. They are:
Collaborative Divorce: The Revolutionary New Way to Restructure Your Family, Resolve Legal Issues, and Move on with Your Life, Pauline Tesler and Peggy Thompson (2006). It may be ordered through Amazon. Pauline is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and her co-author is a psychologist (Peggy Thompson).
The Collaborative Way to Divorce : The Revolutionary Method that Results in Less Stress, Lower Costs, and Happier Kids–Without Going to Court. Ron Ousky, Stuart Webb (2006). Stu Webb is generally credited with being the founder of collaborative law (in 1990). This book is somewhat shorter and easier to read. It is written by two lawyers. There is some information in this book which is state specific but generally it is an excellent resource.
If collaborative divorce is an option, read one of these books. Another excellent book to read that addresses the importance of approaches such as collaborative divorce in cases involving children is: Putting Children First: Proven Parenting Strategies for Helping Children Thrive Through Divorce (2010).
