Washington State Collaborative Divorce Attorney
The Law Office of Felicia A. Malsby, P.S.
253-853-6940
Helping you transition with an emphasis on reducing and resolving conflict
When you contact the Law Office of Felicia A. Malsby, P.S., to discuss your pending divorce, we can go over the benefits of Collaborative Divorce or mediation services to arrive at an amicable settlement. While collaborative family law has been growing in popularity in some states for many years, it is new on the horizon in Washington. This information is presented to give you a summary of the highlights of Collaborative Law, but should not be considered to be a detailed legal description of the process.
If you are considering filing for divorce, please contact the Pierce County, Washington, collaborative divorce attorneys at the Law Office of Felicia A. Malsby, P.S., to fully discuss Collaborative Law.
What is Collaborative Divorce Law?
In Washington, Collaborative Law is encouraged by family court judges to reduce and resolve conflicts that often arise out of child custody, support, and property settlements otherwise determined by divorce courts. Collaborative Divorce, sometimes referred to as Collaborative Practice, provides a structured legal alternative to the expense, conflicts, and uncertainty of a divorce court settlement. When it is working at its best, Collaborative Divorce is a flexible process that gives all parties ample opportunity to assert their best interests and get the most out of the professionals that are available. The Collaborative Divorce process provides both parties the opportunity to remain focused on what truly is important for the future of themselves, and their families.
What are the benefits of Collaborative Divorce?
The open, cooperative environment of Collaborative Divorce generally results in a cost-effective, amicable, and lasting settlement that benefits everyone. Many divorcing couples find Collaborative Divorce sessions to be a non-threatening environment to work through discussions of child custody, support, and property issues. Often, couples report that what they thought would be an important issue for their ex-spouse, turned out to be of only minor concern. The final settlement generally results in less on-going conflict, because both parties had full opportunity to speak up for their interests. More often than not, the final costs for Collaborative Divorce are substantially less than lawyer and court fees would have been in a conflict-based divorce litigation proceeding.
How Does the Process Work?
In addition to the collaborative attorney, law firms offering Collaborative Divorce services often make available a collaborative coach, a licensed psychologist, a child welfare specialist, and a financial specialist to help ease the transition into the post-divorce future. The collaborative coach is a mental health professional who applies experience and knowledge to help both parties manage the emotional and psychological issues that may unravel the structured process. The coach also stays in contact with other team members throughout the process to keep all parties informed about concerns and issues that might arise. Parties are generally given the opportunity to retain, or reject, the services of the mental health and other professionals that may be made available. In addition, parties may wish to retain additional professional services on their behalf, and at their own cost. Whether we are working solely with lawyers, or are bringing in outside professionals to assist us, we are emphasizing a team approach. Professionals are consulted as needed to get the best results for the parties involved.
How do you get started with Collaborative Divorce?
Contact the Pierce County, Washington, Collaborative Law attorneys at Law Office of Felicia A. Malsby, P.S., to learn more about starting the Collaborative Divorce process. We will provide you with complete information about the Collaborative Divorce process.
