Oct 23 2007
Collaborative Legal Counsel
In the collaborative divorce process, the divorcing couple commits to stay out of court. Each chooses her/his own collaborative divorce attorney who is trained as collaborative counsel. The lawyers then work together to assemble a team of professionals (financial analyst, child specialist, etc.) to address the particular needs of husband and wife.
At every stage of the process, each spouse will have the support needed to:
- Identify the outcomes that matter most.
- Make sense of complicated issues such as property values, tax implications, stock options, the special needs of children, and health issues.
- Negotiate a durable agreement that works for the long term well-being of the couple and their children.
Limited Legal Services
Have you ever thought, “I’d just like a lawyer to review this agreement or coach me “behind the scenes” on a negotiation strategy during a divorce mediation. Or, perhaps, the need is to review an offer by a spouse during mediation of a divorce or the settlement agreement reached at the conclusion of the divorce. Maybe you have downloaded the divorce, legal separation, or parenting act forms off the Internet but don’t know what to do with these legal papers to complete your divorce. Probably, you assume that retaining a lawyer means thousands of dollars in an upfront retainer plus a lawyer billing time for months or years in representing you from the beginning to the end of the legal process.
That is no longer the case thanks to Limited Legal Services Representation or, as it is sometimes called, Unbundled Services. This is a form of legal assistance where attorney and client define the precise type of help you need. The lawyer’s services are geared to your stated needs and budget. After discussing this, you and your lawyer enter into an agreement that spells out the services to be provided and the lawyer’s fees for this limited service.
Retaining a lawyer for Limited Legal Services assures that there are no surprises-you are able to limit your legal services and associated costs by defining them in advance.
