Divorce is one of the most difficult experiences any of us
face. Dissolving a marriage frequently leaves both partners
and their children shattered, and lives in shambles. During
this intense emotional transition, many couples are too bitter
and angry to be aware of the long term consequences of their
actions. As a result, money is often squandered, long standing
relationships are annihilated, and innocent children are deeply
harmed.
We Recognize That:
• Couples with a history of conflict don't communicate
well.
• Many divorces take years to complete.
• Many couples get a divorce and then keep going back
to court.
• Many couples get a divorce but the hostility in the
relationship continues indefinitely.
The Solution : Divorce with Dignity
• We offer Divorce Mediation with a highly skilled neutral
who will assist you to design a mediated divorce agreement,
at a cost considerably less than the typical dissolution.
• We help families reorganize for long term benefit.
Every effort is made to reduce emotional damage to children.
• Our intention is to get past destructive emotions
that are prevalent when partners are motivated by anger.
• We provide divorcing couples a way to:
• Take control of the divorce process.
• Greatly reduce the time involved, and the emotional
and legal cost of the divorce.
• Make decisions in the best interest of the children.
• Communicate needs and interests.
• Focus on the present, prepare for the future, and
avoid getting lost in the past.
Collaborative Law
We offer Collaborative Divorce, a personalized program with
a team of professionals, including attorneys and therapists,
to assist you through the divorce process at a cost considerably
less than the typical litigated divorce.
This Innovative Divorce Communication Model offers:
• A unique screening program designed to educate you
regarding all available choices.
• A team approach in which we work together to help
partners express clear needs and interests, and keep the focus
on mutually beneficial solutions. Each partner has a team
member present to fully support them.
Collaborative Family Law is a new way of handling family law
matters, including divorces. It is a method whereby the attorneys
for both parties to a family law dispute agree to assist in
resolving conflict using cooperation and problem-solving strategies
rather than adversarial approaches and litigation. Negotiations
between the two parties and their attorneys are interest-based
rather than positional. In other words, each party's interests
are considered when crafting a resolution rather than only
sticking to one party's position and not varying from that
position. Collaborative Family Law differs from traditional
litigation in that each spouse and his or her lawyer sign
a Collaborative Agreement up front which outlines their behavior
throughout the entire process. In this document, the parties
agree not to litigate and agree to negotiate in good faith.
No court proceedings are permitted during the pendency of
the collaborative law process.
If the negotiations break down and one party decides to go
to court, both attorneys must withdraw and the clients must
hire new attorneys. By agreeing to this condition, the collaborative
lawyer shares the risk of failure that attorneys in litigation
or mediation do not. The collaborative lawyer becomes responsible,
therefore, for managing the unreasonable client and limiting
unreasonable positions in order to come to a successful outcome.
The attorneys agree to withdraw if the client fails to honor
the Collaborative Agreement. Also, most experts are retained
jointly as neutrals within the collaborative process. This
prevents both parties from having a 'hired gun' who will automatically
side with the party who is paying him.
Negotiations are handled on an informal level, with each party
attending a series of structured '4-Way' meetings in which
both spouses and the two attorneys sit down at a table and
discuss the resolution of the divorce. One major difference
between collaborative family law and other approaches is that
the clients themselves craft the terms of their divorce and
the final outcome rather than having an outside third party
(such as a judge or jury) decide the outcome for them. This
process only works when both parties agree to use it.
Our Commitment to Divorcing Couples:
• Help to achieve mutual win-win solutions not obtainable
in court.
• Support honesty and mutual respect in order to create
a constructive divorce with solutions for the entire family's
best interests.
• Prepare you to negotiate cooperatively, instead of
competitively.
• Provide a safe format with clear boundaries and limits.
• Create a solid agreement to which both parties give
a satisfied YES rather than a resigned yes.
Our Goal is to Help You to Create:
• A custody and visitation plan that allows each partner
to be committed, loving, and effective as a parent.
• An economic plan with which both of you can live and
feel some sense of financial security.
• A division of property that reflects each partner's
interests.
Submitted by Trina Marguerite for the Law offices
of Ronald Melin Supancic
