As time goes by and the world strives to be on a path of technical and scientific development, people are also keeping up with the times. The mindset of people is changing, and they are cultivating a broader mental outlook. So, one word that does not seem to be so much of a taboo now, and one which upon hearing, the ears prick up, is ‘divorce.’

People have been slowly but steadily embracing the concept of divorce. People are starting to understand that if a relationship is not working out, there is nothing wrong with ending the pain and misery of both parties stuck in it. So, more and more people are considering divorce as an option to bring order to their lives.

However, one of the reasons why people of previous generations did not want to go through with a divorce, is that it was an unpleasant experience with a lot of arguments, court visits, unfair judgments, and underlying toxicity in the minds of at least one of the parties, if not both.

A concept that has come out as a solution for all these problems is that of a ‘collaborative divorce.’ More and more people are becoming open to collaborative divorce, but what is so special about this? What exactly is ‘collaborative divorce’?

What is collaborative divorce?

 The concept of collaborative divorce was proposed after seeing the plight of couples seeking a traditional divorce. Most of them ended on sour terms and had to face utter financial and emotional devastation. Collaborative divorce serves to provide a gentle and mild way of carrying out the divorce process.

In this process, each party hires a trained, collaborative divorce lawyer. Then meetings are set up between the two spouses in the presence of their respective lawyers, and both parties discuss matters of interest in a civilized manner. The discussions usually pertain to ownership of property, divorce alimony, and custody of the children.

This process was, to an extent followed, by traditional family divorce lawyers also, however, in the collaborative divorce practice, there is a difference. The spouses first sign an agreement that if the process is not successful and both parties cannot reach a satisfactory solution, the lawyers cannot represent them anymore, and they will have to turn to the traditional lawyers.

This clause gives the lawyers extra motivation to sort things out between their clients and arrange for a satisfactory ‘out of court’ solution. Any average couple would prefer to settle their matter outside the court, since failure to reach an agreement with collaborative divorce lawyers would mean that they would have to hire new lawyers and face the extreme hassles of bitter court battles and appearances.

Will it hurt your wallet?

 Often clients believe that opting for a collaborative divorce will save them from a lot of unnecessary fees related to having a case in court. However, many secondary expenses are not clear at first sight in the collaborative divorce process.

For example, in such situations, and for peaceful proceedings, psychological counselors, domestic abuse specialists, child trauma therapists, financial advisors, and many other experts are brought into the fray to help decide the various matters of interest property and child custody.

 The expenses and fees for all these experts are in no way negligible. They may not appear to be visible when developing the idea of opting for a collaborative divorce.

Hence, sometimes this process can cost more than a traditional divorce. You should always weigh in your options and consider all the expenses that you may have to incur while proceeding with this method.

 Should you go for it?

 Thought the concept of collaborative divorce might seem to be almost like a fairy tale until now, with all its civilized discussions and peaceful nature. However, some issues with it make it not suitable for everyone.

Collaborative divorce requires that you and your spouse trust each other since you will have to trust the other person while agreeing during the negotiation meetings. If your marriage fell apart because you did not have trust in your partner or the other way around, you will surely have a difficult time trusting that the other party will compromise to reach a fair judgment.

There is always also the chance that you may get less than what you believed that you deserved. This is one thing that is resolved during a traditional divorce. In a traditional divorce, it is almost a winner gets all situation, and your lawyers will fight to make sure that you come out on top. In a collaborative divorce, the lawyers of both parties are not trying to fight it out, but trying to reach an agreement that will be satisfactory for both parties.

 Therefore, there is always the chance that you might end up feeling that the agreement was maybe not fair to you and that you deserved more.

However, one of the worst things that can happen and the main reason why some people are fearful of the practice of a collaborative divorce is that if a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached upon by both parties, they will have to start over and hire traditional family divorce lawyers according to the agreement signed before. Thus, all the expenses and efforts undertaken by the two parties during the initial process can come to nothing and be an utter waste of time and resources.

In conclusion, what should you do?

Even though the concept of a collaborative divorce is not for everyone, it has been especially fruitful for most people. It can save you the hassles of going to court and the stigma associated with it. Moreover, it lets you end a relationship on good terms, which is always better for the future. 

In conclusion, after reading this article and weighing in your options, if you feel that a collaborative divorce is the best choice for you, you should not waste time hesitating and contact an experienced lawyer. Do not worry. We have got a solution for you too.

We are a firm of highly qualified and experienced lawyers in Brampton. We have many well-equipped and skilled separation lawyers in Brampton. If you are looking for a divorce lawyer in Brampton, don’t hesitate to give us a call and we will get back to you immediately.

For us, customer experience and satisfaction are of prime importance, and we thoroughly instill these values in all our employees. Our Brampton divorce lawyers have received multiple positive reviews and feedback, and our customers hold them in high regard. A divorce does not always have to be an unpleasant affair, and our Brampton divorce lawyer will ensure that you can get over this hurdle quickly and move forward in life, always having a goodwill in your heart.