Poetry  by MAURY WHITE, ESQ.  **** Hello Mr. Lawyer, I’m sorry to report I think it’s time for me to take my husband to court. I don’t want to go to the cleaners and I only want what’s fair, What can you do for me and will you really care? We do not like court of course I’ve heard there’s a different way to divorce. But who will represent the scoundrel? He said he’ll find a shark. I fear he’ll hide the money and keep me in the dark. Do not fear the darkness, the best are in our group. We will give him a list of lawyer names They’ll each give him the straight poop. We do not like court,...

By Dr. Karen Gail Lewis            When two people decide the love they thought would last forever doesn’t, sadness reigns.  Sad, yes, but not necessarily destructive.  If couples divorce with dignity and respect, their children benefit. Traditionally, the best divorce was to hire a shark who would help the wife “take him for everything he’s got.”  And, help the husband, “make sure she doesn’t get a dime.” With Collaborative Divorce, couples no longer need a shark.  Collaborative Divorce is relatively new, moving across North America, Europe, and Australia, leaving well adjusted children and cooperative co-parents in its wake. Collaborative...

A Question and Answer session with Florence Gladel, the European pioneer on the subject of “The Harvard Principled Negotiation”.  Avocat Gladel will be presenting on this topic at the Ordre Des Avocats Du Barreau De Paris (Paris Bar Association) on July 6, 2012 in Paris.  The workshop is titled  “The Harvard Principled Negotiation” She would be delighted to have you attend and discuss collaborative practice in France. What is the Harvard Principle Negotiation?  Florence GLADEL: Roger Fischer and William Ury, two US lawyers and professors at Harvard, are the authors of the seminal book Getting to Yes:  Negotiating Agreement Without Giving...

What skills and attitudes are involved in being a Collaborative Practice professional?  In being a ‘peacemaker’?  How do we work with others who might have ‘slipped’ from their best attitudes and skills? Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comment section below. Today’s Guest:   Mark B. Baer, JD  Pasadena, CA www.markbaeresq.com  Here’s a piece by Mark that we’ve published. (Would you like to join us for a future conversation? We’ll have room for up to four people. Sign up here for our email list. We send out notices and details of when and how you can join in the discussion.)...

Using the Collaborative Process gives a divorcing couple access to ‘coaches’, licensed mental health professionals who will support them in many ways through the process.   Linda Solomon, LPC, LMFT shares with us why having such a person involved in the process is of benefit. She answers questions that many people have about how that works, how it can save money, and how working with such a person can actually help to begin the healing process and form the beginnings of the way their new relationship will look and work. Here’s our conversation:   Click below to hear this interview that Linda did with Public Media...