Collaborative Practice, including Collaborative Law and interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce, is a new way for you to resolve disputes respectfully -- without going to court -- while working with trained professionals who are important to all areas of your life. The term incorporates all of the models developed since Minnesota lawyer Stu Webb created Collaborative Law in the 1980s.

The heart of Collaborative Practice is to offer you and your spouse or partner the support, protection, and guidance of your own lawyers without going to court. Additionally, Collaborative Divorce allows you the benefit of child and financial specialists, divorce coaches and other professionals all working together on your team.

Collaborative Practice is a process for resolving family law conflicts through non-adversarial and interest-based negotiation. Parties employ Collaborative attorneys who support them in reaching a settlement outside the adversarial process of Court imposed resolutions. The parties, not the attorneys, are responsible for the ultimate outcome.

Our experts support the parties as they plan for their best and highest interests. Active input and participation from both parties creates a better long-term solution than either could achieve on their own.

A collaborative divorce involves a series of four-way conferences where you and your entire family's interests are identified and protected. The process spares you and your children the emotional stress and anxiety associated with litigation, while still ensuring that such issues as custody, spousal support, child support, and visitation are resolved successfully for you.