Honorable peace at 75% off

Written on December 20, 2007 by davesarnacki

The Associated Press discusses how couples are resolving their divorces through the collaborative process.

David Crary writes (excerpt):
In contrast to mediation, in which divorcing couples entrust a resolution to a single neutral mediator, collaborative divorce involves the use of attorneys for each party, often joined by other expert consultants. But the lawyers, instead of sparring, pledge from the outset to work together in crafting an outcome that is fair to all.

“Most clients in a dispute are looking for an honorable peace, not war,” Boston lawyer David Hoffman wrote in recent op-ed for The Christian Science Monitor. . . .
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The firm analyzed 199 of its recent divorce cases, and found that mediation, collaborative divorce and litigation all produced high rates of successful settlement. Mediation was by far the least expensive option, with a median cost of $6,600, compared to $19,723 for a collaborative divorce, $26,830 for settlements negotiated by rival lawyers, and $77,746 for full-scale litigation.

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