HOW DOES COLLABORATIVE SEPARATION WORK?

The collaborative out of court divorce settlement process can vary, but it broadly follows six stages:

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1.  Contact a collaborative lawyer and discuss your situation. They will be able to advise whether the collaborative method could work for you.

 

2.  Speak to your partner about the collaborative approach and request they also appoint a collaboratively trained lawyer.#

 

3.  Share your priorities for the separation and sign a participation agreement, demonstrating your commitment to keeping the separation amicable and out of court.

 

4.  Attend a series of constructive meetings together with your partner and your lawyers (on a without prejudice basis) discussing common aims and concerns, with bespoke support from neutral professionals if needed.

 

5.  Reality test the proposed plan to understand how it will work on a practical day-to-day basis.

 

6.  Your lawyers will draw up a court order to be approved by a judge which will be legally binding.