What Is Team Divorce?

Divorce isn't just divorce anymore. At least not if you are on top of your game in Family Law. As the September issue of The Matrimonial Strategist describes in several different articles, Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce is the wave of the future.The Matrimonial Strategist first discussed Collaborative Law Divorce in May, 2006. To quote Editorial Board Member Charles J. McEvily, 'The hallmark of the Collaborative Divorce is the execution of an agreement by both parties and their lawyers that a judicial resolution will not be sought regarding any issue.'OK, so what does that mean exactly? It means that there is a team in place, usually composed of two attorneys, a child specialist, a financial neutral, a divorce coach, and possibly a mental health professional. Mark C. Hill of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals in San Diego, CA, in his equally informative article entitled 'Why Your Financial Specialist Should Be Independent,' explains the role of the financial neutral in the Collaborative Divorce process. He gives a great deal of time to the challenges of teamwork, and making the entire team process work.So does Vicki Carpel-Miller, a principal and trainer with Collaborative Divorce Team Training (CDTT) in Scottsdale, AZ. In her article entitled 'The Value of a Divorce Coach,' Ms. Carpel-Miller delves deeply into the processes that strengthen the team.This is a fascinating topic, one that's sure to be in the forefront of family law in the years to come. The Matrimonial Strategist is proud to present such a stellar collection of informative articles on the subject; as always, following in the Law Journal Newsletter tradition of bringing you, the busy attorney, the best analysis of the latest in your practice areas.