Veterans, Divorce, and Honor

As we memorialize those who died while serving in the armed forces, we also thank the living men and women who protected our freedom.

According to Florida’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs, there are more than 1.5 million veterans living in the state.  And, unfortunately, just like the rest of the population, many of those who served in the military face a dissolution of their marriage.  Yet, many veterans do not know that there is a way they can go through divorce which is private, respectful, and, yes, even honorable.

Hugging the kids

Any veteran going through divorce should learn about the collaborative process.

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Video: Child Wants Divorcing Parents to be Friends

When most people go through divorce, they are consumed by their emotions.  No matter how you look at it, divorce is a trauma.  However, people oftentimes forget how the divorce is affecting children.  And they forget that children are keenly aware of how parents treat one another during divorce.

A video that has been going around the internet lately shows a little girl talking to her mom about how she wants her divorcing parents to be friends and treat each other well.  You can find the video after the jump.

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Full Service Pro Se Mediation For Less Than $3,500

If you are going through divorce, you should retain an attorney.  Only an attorney can provide you with legal advice that serves your interests.

However, many people, for whatever reason, choose not to hire a lawyer.  And yet, they need help reaching an agreement and filling out all the appropriate paperwork.  For those people, Family Diplomacy offers Pro Se Mediation, also known as mediation without lawyers.

In Pro Se Mediation, Adam B. Cordover will serve as a neutral mediator to help you and your spouse reach an agreement.  As Adam is not acting as a lawyer, he cannot provide legal advice to either spouse.  Pro Se Mediation is a private and cost-effective method to resolve issues related to divorce, and it can be done for a total cost of less than $3,500.

Here is how:

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Collabortive Professionals Honor Florida Legislators

Two hundred members of the Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals (“FACP”) gathered in Tampa to honor Florida legislators and others for their leadership in passing the Collaborative Law Process Act (“CLPA”).  The CLPA, among other things, protects the privacy of families going through divorce.  It creates a statutory privilege (like the attorney-client privilege) that, except under limited circumstances, ensures that what is said during a collaborative divorce process cannot be used against a spouse in court.

In 2016, Senator Tom Lee introduced the CLPA bill in the Florida Senate.  Representative Cyndi Stevenson, with the support of Representative Dana Young, introduced a version in Florida’s House of Representatives.  All three were given awards by Florida’s statewide collaborative organization for helping to protect Florida’s families via the CLPA.

 

 

Pictured, from left to right, are Senator Tom Lee, Cole Jeffries, Robert Merlin, Judge Laurel Lee, Representative Dana Young, and Representative Cyndi Stevenson.

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Unique Forms of Collaborative Law in Tampa Bay

Collaborative practice is not just for divorce.  It is most commonly associated with divorce, but it can be used as a non-adversarial, private form of dispute resolution in many different scenarios.  Further, there are many cases where a divorce does not begin collaboratively, and yet ends up in the collaborative process.

Below are links to posts written by Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover on unique forms of collaborative practice in Tampa Bay:

A Complicated Divorce Goes Collaborative

https://familydiplomacy.com/blog/family-law-news/client-review-a-complicated-divorce-goes-collaborative/

Do You Need a Divorce Second Opinion?

https://familydiplomacy.com/blog/collaborative-divorce/do-you-need-a-divorce-second-opinion/

Collaborative Law in Medical Malpractice

https://familydiplomacy.com/blog/collaborative-divorce/video-collaborative-law-in-medical-malpractice/

Polyamorous Divorce in Tampa Bay

https://familydiplomacy.com/blog/lgbt-family-law-matters/polyamorous-divorce-in-tampa-bay/

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Cordover Provides Continuing Education at Tampa Accounting Firm

Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation Division of Certified Public Accounting requires CPAs to complete a certain amount of continuing education units to remain licensed.

On May 3, 2016, Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover, alongside collaborative professionals Sonya Johnson and Monica Epstein, provided continuing education units for the accountants of Cohen & Grieb, P.A.  Cordover, Johnson, and Epstein gave a workshop on “Collaborative Family Law: The Smart Alternative to Courtroom Divorce.”

The workshop, held during National Small Business Week, focused on the effects that divorce can have on small businesses, and how collaborative family law can help ameliorate those effects.

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Divorce Without Lawyers – A Mediation Option in Tampa Bay

If you are going through divorce, you should have a lawyer.  Divorce is one of life’s traumatic moments, and it is smart to have a steady hand to advise you during uncertain times.

However, you don’t need to have a lawyer to get divorced.

Florida Supreme Court Mediator

You have the option of going through pro se mediation (mediation without legal representation).

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Cordover Conducts 2-Day Introductory Collaborative Divorce Training in Manatee County

The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals promulgates Minimum Standards to hold oneself out as a collaborative professional.  Those standards include a requirement that each collaborative professional attend a 2-day introductory collaborative training where they learn the process, skills, theories, and ethics of collaborative practice.

On April 29-30, Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover conducted an introductory training, alongside internationally renowned collaborative trainer and Licensed Mental Health Counselor Anne R. Lucas of Kirkland, Washington, and highly experienced collaborative financial neutral and Certified Public Accountant/Accredited in Business Valuation Kristin DiMeo of Tampa, Florida.

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