Collaborative Law
The Collaborative Law team, typically made up of attorneys for each party, a financial neutral and one or two coaches, work with the couple to move toward a mutually arrived at agreement. My role on the team, as financial neutral, is to help the couple understand their complete financial situation, so that they will be able to make choices that will both meet and maximize their financial reality.
The value of using a collaborative law team approach to divorce is that each professional can offer their own expertise to meet each couple’s unique needs.
As a financial neutral, it is my job to both gather the needed financial information and help the couple to focus on, and understand, their unique financial situation.
Often, the level of financial understanding and experience in a marriage is unequal between the divorcing couple, and it is part of my job to ensure that any needed assistance is provided to ensure maximum understanding by both parties.
Addressing financial issues in divorce is more often than not a highly stressful experience for the divorcing couple – the end of a marriage also means a reconfiguration of the financial partnership, wherein assets and liabilities are divided and support issues need to be addressed in a much more straightforward way than was necessary during the couple’s marriage. Accompanying this process are often feelings of uncertainty, confusion and fears of the loss of economic security. I work with the coach and the attorneys to help the couple deal with these issues. My experience as a mediator makes me particularly adept at working with the couple to help them move toward a future that works the best for each of them and for their children, if any.