Traditionally, the first part of every year is very busy for divorce filings.  There is no added legal benefit to filing this time of year, though many observers think it is most popular because the Christmas holidays have caused an imminent filing to be pushed off. Of course, 2013 might even tip the scales more than usual because of the uncertain economy.   Because of this and the decline of the real estate market over the years the retirement plan has taken the spot from the family home as the largest single marital asset for division in the event of dissolution of marriage. A basic understanding of some of the rules and requirements for...

Recent statistics show that the decision to marry is losing popularity. It has also been statistically demonstrated that one out of two first marriages and three out of four second marriages end in divorce. Generations ago, divorce was perceived with a lot of stigma and while that perspective has somewhat improved, divorce is still frequently regarded as the launch into the fight of one’s life. Maybe this is one reason why people are opting out of marriage altogether. Maybe marriage wouldn’t be losing sociological ground if the divorcing population began to choose a divorce that is moral and honorable in its approach. Every...

The Collaborative Practice Team of Professionals as your “crew” when the sailing gets rough.  ed.  People are becoming increasingly vocal about the fact that lawyers and the legal system are not equipped to properly address the emotional issues involved in family law matters. Judge Michele Lowrance, a domestic relations judge in the Circuit Court of Illinois, wrote in her book titled The Good Karma Divorce (Lowrance, 2010), “The court system was not built to house these emotions, and attorneys are not trained to reduce this kind of suffering.  Divorcing people expect relief far beyond what the legal realm can provide from their...

by Lee Chabin, Esq.        Here are some additional thoughts from Mr. Chabin on the value of the Collaborative Practice approach to divorce: http://www.nyparenting.com/stories/2013/2/fp_divorcecolumn_2013_02.html              Every divorcing couple has a choice to make:  How will we get divorced?  What process shall we use? The answer can have tremendous repercussions, emotionally as well as financially for your children as well as for yourselves. In this column, I will discuss one process:  Litigation (going to court). Litigation is usually the most expensive, antagonistic and emotionally difficult process for ending a marriage.  I’m...

Involving our hearts in Collaborative Practice is not just a metaphor.  The organ that pumps our blood, also contributes to our thoughts.    Check out what Stu Webb and Deborah Brakeley had to say about actively involving our actual hearts.  Work that they’ve been sharing for several years at the IACP Forum along with Peggy Thompson and Jennifer Tull, who were not able to join us for this conversation. This heart work makes for interesting companion thoughts as research also tells us more about the brain.  See my interview with Pauline Tesler for those advances. “Our ordinary mind always tries to persuade us that we are nothing...

The Initial Interview.  The professional / client relationship begins there.  And goes smoothly – or haltingly – forward, or possibly downward.  Particularly in Collaborative Practice matters, that first meeting can impact the functioning of the entire Team, including the clients. I sat with Woody Mosten and Susan Gamache, two well known Collaborative professionals who have each begun to offer training for professionals focused on this critical, but often under explored, part of the process.  Here’s the video Read about the trainings they offer here: click on ‘slideshare’ to print your own copy of these....