Collaborative Family Law

     The collaborative law model offers an alternative to a litigated family law dispute in Massachusetts. In the collaborative practice model, you and your lawyer work together with your spouse or the other  parent, his or her attorney, and a neutral coach to reach your  individual and mutual goals. Under the collaborative law form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), you each have a separate lawyer to  represent you and guide you through the process. As needed, you may also hire joint experts to help you resolve issues such as property division or child custody/parenting plans.

     If collaborative practice is the best approach for you, we will use  our years of family law experience to help you reach a successful  divorce or custody settlement with more control and privacy than using  the litigation model.

     Collaborative divorce is not for everyone. It requires two people who  may have some difficulty communicating with each other, but who wish to  have more control over the divorce process and who are committed to  reaching a settlement. In court, many other people are involved, and you  lose some control and privacy. The collaborative law process allows you  and your spouse to work with your advocates to resolve issues according  to your own schedules and wishes.

     Often, the courts do not have enough time to give your case the  attention it deserves. Collaborative law is more flexible. It can  provide you and your spouse with the time, attention and resources you  need to resolve your disputes. For example, you and your spouse can work  together to develop a child custody and parenting plan that works for  you. More importantly, you may reach a resolution without exposing your  children to the conflict of a litigated divorce.

The openness of the collaborative process also provides a model for  resolving future issues, such as modification of parenting plans, child  visitation, child support or relocation. Collaborative law can be used  to find a solution to all types of family law disputes, including  dissolution of domestic partnerships, guardianships and paternity  actions.

     To emphasize both parties’ commitment to achieve a resolution  out-of-court, the collaborative law process requires you to temporarily  give up your right to go to court for dispute resolution. If the  collaborative law process breaks down and you need to go to court, you  and your spouse will need to hire new lawyers.

     The collaborative law model is also used by unmarried or  never-married parents to resolve disputes regarding custody, parenting  time, or child support.

With more than 35 years of collective experience within Watertown  family courts, we can guide and advise you through the collaborative law  process. For more information or representation using the collaborative  law model, contact the office of Linda Sternberg, Esquire.