Collaborative Divorce | Schoff & Reardon, PLLC

A Better Way to Divorce

What is Collaborative Divorce?

By Attorney Ian Reardon – Collaborative Divorce offers an effective alternative to traditional court battles. This process involves resolving divorce and parenting issues through private, collaborative meetings with a dedicated team of professionals.

Couples work together with their Collaborative Team to gather information, set goals, and negotiate agreements. By focusing on open communication and mutual respect, Collaborative Divorce helps minimize stress and animosity, fostering a more amicable resolution.

Collaborative Divorce can be conducted via video conferencing tools like Zoom. Clients often find this method more efficient, which can expedite the process.

Preserve Relationships

Traditional divorce often overlooks the importance of your post-divorce relationship with your spouse and children. Preserving these relationships is a key tenet of the collaborative divorce process.

Recognizes Emotions

Emotions play a significant role in every divorce. The collaborative process is designed to address both positive and negative emotions. By identifying how emotions influence decisions, the process leads to better final outcomes.

Less Expensive

Compared to a fully litigated court divorce, collaborative divorce is significantly more cost-effective. While it may not be the least expensive option, many find the process well worth the investment.

How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?

Discuss

You and your spouse must both agree to proceed with a Collaborative Divorce. Research thoroughly, weigh the pros and cons, and ensure you have all the necessary information before moving forward.

Hire Attorneys

Although the process is called ‘collaborative divorce,’ you and your spouse will each hire your own attorney to ensure that you are well-informed and your interests are protected. Your attorney will explain the law and its application to your case.

Assemble Team

The attorneys will consult to select the ‘neutral’ team members, including a mental health coach and a financial professional. Since every case is unique, assembling the right team is crucial for achieving a lasting settlement.

Collect Data

This step involves the Financial Neutral collecting all your financial data to ensure compliance with New Hampshire divorce law. Full disclosure of financial information is required in every divorce.

Set Goals

An essential step in a Collaborative Divorce is for each spouse to identify their own interests and concerns. These will help establish the boundaries and framework for what an acceptable divorce agreement might look like.

Everyone Meets

This meeting includes everyone on the team, along with you and your spouse. The team will brainstorm solutions that address your interests, concerns, and goals. It often takes multiple meetings to reach a settlement.

Finalize

At this stage, you should have reached a solution that aligns with the earlier goals. Both parties have likely made compromises with the support of the neutral professionals. The outcome is typically a fair and sustainable agreement that preserves relationships and minimizes feelings of resentment and imbalance.

As attorneys, we prefer collaborative divorces because they are effective. Attorney Schoff and Attorney Reardon have observed that collaborative cases often lead to agreements both parties can accept. Unlike litigation or even mediation, which often involves back-and-forth negotiations, collaborative divorce addresses the interests and concerns of both parties from the start. This approach ensures that issues are discussed openly, rather than behind closed doors with attorneys. If you have any questions or want to learn more about collaborative divorce, please contact us.