Collaborative Divorce Team Roles
Goal of the Collaborative Divorce in Madison
The goal of the collaborative divorce team is to assist the divorcing couple in achieving a successful resolution of various issues related to their marriage and family. The team members work together in such a way as to minimize the negative economic, social and emotional consequences that families often experience in the traditional adversarial divorce process.
In order to achieve this goal, professionals from several independent disciplines work together as a team to integrate the legal, emotional and financial aspects of a divorce. In addition to you and your family, your divorce coach may work with your attorneys, the financial specialist and the child specialist.
The Role of the Madison Collaborative Attorney & Divorce Coach
At Balisle Family Law Legal Counsel, S.C., our Madison divorce attorneys work to help our clients get through the collaborative divorce process. We are one of the largest firms in Wisconsin dedicated to a practice solely of family law and related estate planning
Collaborative attorneys will:
- Represent the interests of his/her prospective client while maintaining the overall goal of a collaborative process.
- Work collaboratively with the other collaborative divorce attorney and the rest of the team.
Divorce coaches are equally as important to the collaborative approach. The divorce coaches work directly with the couple to identify and prioritize the concerns of each person, resolve conflict effectively, and develop effective co-parenting skills.
They also enable the family and involved professionals to enhance communication and to reduce misunderstandings, keep the collaborative process moving toward resolution, and refer the client to an appropriate professional if counseling is warranted or desired.
The Role of the Financial Specialist & Child Specialist
The financial specialist provides ongoing practical financial guidelines including planning, support and budgeting throughout the divorce process. They also review and document income and expenses, assets and debts, and current and projected tax effects.
Meanwhile, the child specialist provides the child with an opportunity to voice concerns regarding the divorce and provides parents with information and guidance to help their children through the process. They also work to support an effective co-parenting plan by providing information to the divorce coaches.
Understanding Your Role as the Client
Each client working with the collaborative divorce team agrees to work for the best interests of the family as a whole, communicate openly and honestly with all members of the collaborative divorce team, and support decisions among members of the team regarding relevant content and process.
To learn more about the other elements involved, please reach out to us today at (608) 765-1001 to set up a consultation with a Madison divorce lawyer.