The process allows parties to obtain a fair settlement while minimizing the time, cost, uncertainty, and acrimony that can accompany a litigious divorce or separation.
[citation needed] The collaborative law process can also facilitate a broad range of other family issues including disputes between parents and the drafting of pre- and post-marital (or prenuptial and postnuptial) contracts.
Given the oppositional nature of the traditional method of creating pre-marital contracts, many couples prefer to begin their married life with documents drawn up consensually and mutually.
[3] These cost efficiencies, in addition to other potential benefits, have led parties in other contexts to explore the use of collaborative law to resolve disputes, including M&A transactions.
Lawyers had recognized the need for experts in fields outside of law such as mental health, lifestyle counseling, and financial planning, sourcing these backgrounds to provide better service to clients.
[13] On 29 November 2011, speaking at a reception hosted by the group, Collaborative Family Law,[14] Supreme Court Justice Lord Wilson of Culworth reaffirmed his commitment to Collaborative Law and other Family Dispute Resolution Services whilst criticizing the Government's plans to cut legal aid, which he called a "false economy".
IACP is an interdisciplinary organization whose members include lawyers, mental health professionals, finance and financial divorce specialists.
National Collaborative organizations have been established in many jurisdictions around the world, including Australia,[19] Austria,[20][21] Canada,[22] the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Israel, Hong Kong, Kenya, New Zealand, Northern Ireland,[23] the Republic of Ireland,[24] Scotland,[25] Switzerland, and Uganda, as well as the United States.
Further, most metropolitan areas, such as San Diego,[34] Los Angeles,[35] Tampa,[36] Dallas,[37] Raleigh,[38] Cleveland,[39] St. Louis[40] and Chicago[41] have local collaborative practice groups.