In choosing how you want to conduct your divorce, the first choice is
which process to use. In addition to a litigated divorce, which often involves parties fighting their many divorce issues in open court, all of which becomes a matter of public record for years to come, Collaborative Practice and Mediation offer excellent options to meet your needs during the divorce process. (For a more detailed explanation of the mediation process, especially as it relates to divorce, see accord mediation’s website @ “
mediatenm.com”.)
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Collaborative Divorce is a unique process that involves professionals from different fields (legal financial and mental health) specifically trained to form collaborative,
settlement teams which assist divorcing couples address the necessary and required aspects of their divorce. So instead of creating a double financial burden on the family’s finances that litigation imposes (two sets of attorneys, two sets of child custody experts and two sets of financial experts, etc. all working in a competitive mode), Collaborative Practice invites the divorcing couples to use one subject matter
expert to work the related issues in an
interest-based approach that helps the parties reach optimum results, and at a
reduced cost.
A Collaborative Divorce can also
reduce stress and escalated conflict usually associated with a divorce. Both parties must agree to it (See IACP link), the
choice of professionals is very important. An untrained or non-collaborative-oriented professional can create more conflict than this model envisions. Collaborative divorce is designed to allow the parties to
keep control over their divorce decisions and to keep parents and their communities from creating harmful environments for their children.
Contact the Shoemaker Law Firm to see if this option is right for you.
Recent Collaborative Organizational Activity Includes:
- Past President, Secretary and Board member, New Mexico Collaborative Practice Group (NMCPG)
- Member, Group Development Committee and Resource Bank Sub-Committee, International Academy of Collaborative Practitioners (IACP)
- Member of IACP, NMCPG, Albuquerque CPG & Santa Fe CPG
- Member of small group practice pods
- KIVA CPG (seven person multi-disciplinary practice group)
- SWCPG (12 person multi-disciplinary practice group)
- Former member of:
- NMCPG Annual Symposium Planning Committee (three years)
- ACPG Monthly Training/Curriculum Committee (three years)
