Like Mediation, the Collaborative Process takes place through a series of regular meetings. While in Mediation the process is guided by one neutral professional, the Collaborative process allows each client to have their own collaboratively trained attorney present in these meetings, who together guide the process. The professionals’ collaborative and mediation training, together with their written commitment to Collaborative Principles, require the attorneys to work in good faith in a non-confrontational, non-adversarial manner, and to respect both clients’ goals and priorities. The professionals’ directive is to gather all information needed to reach resolution, to brainstorm creative solutions, to respect the confidentiality of the process, and to prioritize the best interests of any children as well as those of both parents.   At the same time, each attorney is responsible for guiding and supporting their own client and making sure that their client is educated with regard to legal rights, legal responsibilities and potential settlement options. Each attorney is responsible for ensuring that his client ’s opinions, needs, preferences, priorities and concerns are expressed, respected and thoughtfully and effectively considered by all.

You are invited to contact any of these professionals, all of whom would be pleased to answer your questions about Collaborative Practice and to help you decide if it is the right process for you. For more information about Collaborative Practice visit  Collaborative Practice East Bay, opens in a new windowCollaborative Practice San Francisco or Collaborative Practice Marin and Sonoma.