Can divorce really be that pleasant? You may be familiar with the smiling “divorce selfie” that went viral (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/09/03/couples-smiling-divorce-selfie-goes-viral/71633438/). This photo featured Chris and Shannon Neuman, a Canadian couple, who explained that they “respectfully, thoughtfully and honourably ended our marriage in a way that will allow us to go forward as parenting partners” for the […]
There’s hope this year if you choose collaborative law to handle your separation. The holidays are upon us; soon it will be a new year. You have shelved the topic of divorce in order to keep the holidays peaceful for your family and friends but now it’s time to take a deep breath, and start
Peace is possible when you choose collaborative divorce. The holidays; this is a wonderful time of the year, is it not? Because you, and your spouse, chose the collaborative divorce process to work through the windup of your marriage, you can enjoy the holidays with your children, with your restructured family, and your friends. All
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Family lawyers cause families more pain and cost them more money than any other cog in the traditional divorce process. Most do not do it on purpose (although some do), but that they do it is undeniable. I’ve practiced law for 35 years. I’ve made a spectacular living as the consummate trial attorney, and I
One of the most important tools of a collaborative professional is the ability to communicate well and to understand the communication of others. Most communication is non-verbal. Fifty-five percent of communication is body language: facial expressions, postures, gestures, behaviors, and inferences. Thirty-eight percent is tone and inflection. Only seven percent is an individual’s actual choice
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I believe in the collaborative dispute resolution process. But don’t get me wrong; I LOVE trial work. Some parties will never be transparent, and it’s so much fun to pit your wits against theirs! I once represented a couple who had purchased a truck stop just off the interstate. The exit practically hand delivered customers
Divorce is one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life. Indeed, dissolving any relationship can cause the parties involved an enormous strain, both emotionally and financially. What many don’t realize is that professional and commercial investment partnerships can also be affected by divorce. There is a tendency during the dissolution of a relationship to
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What do you do if your new client has just been served and he’s read up on his choices in the divorce process, so he knows that he wants to avoid the destruction of divorce court, that he wants to try to resolve his divorce issues using the constructive collaborative process? Or what if he
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In my book, War or Peace, I tell the stories of what happened in court on my watch. Here is what happens when you ask a judge, who doesn’t know you or your kids, or share your values, to make decisions that will impact you for the rest of your lives. John Hammond was nineteen when
The Most Important Thing to Know about Divorce Court Read More »
Did my headline catch your eye? “The Worst Way to End a Marriage” I lecture often about the horrors of traditional courtroom divorce and compare its negative effects to the positive aspects of cooperative and collaborative divorce. I always tell the story of how my parents were divorced when I was seven years old. “My mother
