Navigating the difficult waters of separation and divorce is a challenging task for anyone, regardless of your circumstances. We offer a unique and family focused approach to supporting couples to resolve their differences and move forward with their lives, through Collaborative Law.
Collaborative law helps separated couples to maintain an amicable relationship and focus on what’s really important – the happiness and well-being of you and your family.
How does it work?
Once both parties engage collaboratively trained lawyers, they sign a contract agreeing they will resolve their matter without fighting it out in Court. Once the threat of going to Court is out of the picture, parties can focus on what is important to them and unlike traditional methods, the parties are present for negotiations and actively participate in discussing their future, rather than leaving this for lawyers to sort out. Financial and child experts can be a part of the process and can provide expert advice during discussions.
If an agreement cannot be reached and court proceedings are commenced, both parties need to find new lawyers to represent them. The collaborative lawyers are not allowed to represent the parties in Court. Where all participants in the collaborative law process are committed to achieving a result for the parties, it is rare matters do not resolve.
What are the benefits?
Preservation of Relationships: Traditional divorce proceedings can often lead to heightened animosity and bitterness between spouses, making co-parenting and visiting grandchildren difficult. Collaborative law encourages open dialogue and cooperation, allowing couples to work together to find solutions that prioritise the best interests of their children. This can lead to more harmonious post-divorce relationships and healthier family dynamics.
Cost Effective: Long and bitter Court proceedings can be expensive, with legal fees, court costs, and other expenses quickly adding up. Our approach to collaborative law keeps you out of Court, which results in significant cost savings for both parties. This allows couples to allocate their resources toward their future and their children’s needs, instead of paying potentially hefty legal bills.
Faster Resolution: Court proceedings and long negotiations can drag on for years, causing emotional and financial strain on both parties. In contrast, collaborative law encourages a more streamlined process, as couples work together with trained professionals to reach agreements on property division and parenting arrangements. This efficiency allows couples to move on with their lives more quickly.
Tailored Solutions: Collaborative law empowers couples to create personalised solutions that meet their unique needs and circumstances. In a courtroom, a Judge makes decisions based on legal guidelines, which may not always align with the specific needs and preferences of the parties. Collaborative law allows couples to work together to craft agreements that consider their individual situations, ensuring a more satisfactory outcome for everyone involved.
Who Will it Suit?
The collaborative approach will suit couples who are motivated to resolve their matter fairly and who have retained some confidence in the other party that common sense can prevail. This process is not likely to suit a couple where one or both of the parties has a goal of dominating the outcome or where there has been significant family violence.
Not many Family Lawyers are trained to be a Collaborative Lawyer.
Our Directors Amanda Schmidt and Elizabeth Adams are part of a small number of appropriately trained and qualified collaborative lawyers in Queensland.
Contact us today if you wish to know more about this rapidly emerging area which is enabling couples to move on faster and with less legal bills along the way.