10 Ways to Know If Collaborative Divorce is Right For You

1.       You can recall at least one time in which you and your spouse resolved a dispute by either compromise, negotiation or reference to a third party source.

2.       You are willing to reach a settlement that works for both you AND your spouse, and to attempt to see things through your spouse’s eyes.

3.       You both want to keep the information about your private life private.

4.       You both want to retain control over the outcome of your case, rather than leaving the decisions to a third party/judge.

5.       If you have children, you are both committed to keeping their needs first, even if you don’t agree what those needs are.

6.       You are willing to put in the time and effort to resolve your issues, with the help of your professional team; because collaborative divorce requires everyone to work hard.

7.       You are willing to learn a new way to communicate with your spouse.

8.       You are willing to provide all information necessary to reach a resolution acceptable for everyone.

9.       You want or need to manage the pace of the divorce process, to accommodate travel or work schedules, health issues and parenting limitations.

10.   You want a resolution that fits the needs of your family in particular as opposed to what works for the generic family contained in the law books, which may mean a more creative outcome than traditional negotiation or litigation can provide.