The early stages of a separation and divorce can be overwhelming. You may not know what to expect, how long it will take or what the cost will be. The experienced family law lawyers at MDW Law in Halifax are here to answer these questions. We are dedicated to advocating for your best interests in an efficient, effective and cost-sensitive manner.
Often a collaborative process is the best path to a successful resolution. Collaborative family law is a settlement-oriented process that allows for resolution of family disputes through negotiation without going to court. At the outset of the collaborative family law process, participants agree to use co-operative strategies rather than adversarial techniques to work through the issues. Participants and their lawyers sign an agreement that they will not go to court.
Through a series of meetings, the participants and their collaborative team will gather information and generate solutions to assist in crafting a legally binding agreement. The collaborative process promotes the privacy of the family by ensuring the proceeding does not become part of the public record.
One of the primary benefits of the collaborative family law process is that it allows you to avoid the adversarial environment of the courtroom and maintain a productive relationship with the other party. This is especially important where participants will remain in contact after separation or divorce, such as in co-parenting relationships.
The collaborative family law process is an interest-based process that explores the underlying needs, values and objectives of each participant and the family as a whole. The lawyers and participants focus on finding a mutually beneficial agreement that meets each participant’s unique interests. The process can include assistance from mental health and financial professionals to provide neutral, objective information on asset valuation, parenting plans, and many other aspects of separation and divorce.
In order to practice collaborative family law, lawyers must have specific training and certification. Contact us at our Halifax office today to request a meeting with one of our collaborative family law lawyers.