Collaborative Family Law

Collaborative Family Law is a special form of alternative dispute resolution governed by the Revised Code of Washington Section 7.77. 

Collaborative Law allows clients to resolve cases without litigation.  Collaborative Law gives a client the maximum amount of privacy and control in their family law case.  By using Collaborative Law principles, parties can avoid many of the costly, emotional pitfalls of traditional family law litigation. 

Collaborative Law is not for everyone.  Both parties must agree to use the Collaborative Law process.  If one party objects, the default “resolution process” is Family Law Litigation.  But for many clients, Collaborative Law is the healthiest and most cost-effective way of resolving their family law case.

At a minimum, both parties should consult with at least one Collaborative Family Law attorney before deciding how to proceed in their case.  The benefits are huge and the cost savings substantial.

If the family law attorney you consult with does not mention Collaborative Law as an option, it’s likely they don’t practice it or don’t understand it. Or, they don’t make enough money doing it.  Sometimes that lawyer tells you, “There’s conflict in your case, so Collaborative Law is not appropriate.”  That’s a lie.  All divorces have conflict.  It’s inevitable.  But in Collaborative Law that conflict is managed and not intentionally inflamed as it often is in litigation.

Another common lie is that Collaborative Law is not appropriate for couples with high-value marital assets.   Don’t fall for that.  “High-value-asset” cases are perfect for Collaborative Law.  Consider, when Washington’s two best-known billionaires got divorced, neither of them chose litigation.   They both resolved their cases privately in well-managed negotiations that maintained their privacy and dignity. 

Collaborative Family Law can help you achieve that same end.

To learn more about Collaborative Law in King County visit:  https://kingcountycollab.org/for-the-public/ where you can also find lists of other local Collaborative Family Law practitioners.  

Wil Miller is an award-winning Collaborative Family Law attorney in Lower Queen Anne, Seattle.  If you want the opportunity to resolve your case without litigation, consider scheduling a Collaborative law consultation with Wil.