Is the Role of the Attorney Different in Collaborative Divorce?
In a Collaborative Divorce, your attorney’s role extends beyond traditional legal representation. Your attorney is an essential partner in helping you and your spouse reach a peaceful resolution. Here’s how this unique approach works.
A Collaborative Partner
In a litigated divorce, your attorney manages your side of the case, making decisions on which experts to involve, strategizing to win at all costs, and often engaging in adversarial tactics against your spouse’s attorney. In a Collaborative Divorce, your attorney takes on the role of a partner—not only to you but also within a team of divorce professionals. These professionals work together to help you, and your spouse find solutions that are beneficial to both of you.
Your attorney’s focus is still on your best interests, but the approach shifts from confrontation to cooperation. Instead of destroying the other side, the goal is to help you, and your spouse reach an agreement that is fair and sustainable.
Communication and Creativity
Collaborative Divorce attorneys are skilled in communication and negotiation. They work closely with you, your spouse, and the other professionals involved—such as divorce financial professionals and mental health experts—to explore creative solutions that may not be possible in a courtroom. This process requires a different set of skills than those used in litigation, including active listening, problem-solving, and the ability to empathize with both sides.
Your attorney will guide you through this process, ensuring that your voice is heard. The focus is on reaching an agreement that meets the needs of the entire family, rather than simply winning a legal battle.
A Commitment to the Collaborative Divorce Process
Attorneys who specialize in Collaborative Divorce are often more committed to ongoing education and skill development than their litigating counterparts. This is a commitment that keeps them up to date with the best practices and can offer the most effective support throughout the divorce process.
Your attorney’s role is not just about legal representation; it’s about helping you work through a difficult transition with as little conflict as possible, while also creating an environment for you and your spouse to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
Contact The Law Offices of Robert J. Merlin
If you’re considering a divorce and want to avoid the hostility and high costs of traditional litigation, consider the Collaborative Divorce process. At the Law Offices of Robert J. Merlin, we are committed to helping you and your family move forward with dignity and respect. Contact us today at (305) 448-1555 to schedule a consultation.
The Law Office of Robert J. Merlin, P.A. is located at 250 Catalonia Avenue, Suite 706, Coral Gables, FL 33134.
Bob Merlin is a Florida Bar Board Certified Family Law Specialist, he practices in the areas of divorce, time-sharing of children and parenting plans, child support, alimony, paternity, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and cohabitation/partnership agreements.
As an experienced Collaborative attorney, Bob continually hones his skills in the Collaborative Process and trains other professionals how to become a Collaborative professional as he is.
“My goal is to help divorcing and other family law clients make well-informed decisions so they experience a more efficient process and feel more in control over their futures.”
