Tampa Collaborative Divorce: A More Child-Friendly Divorce

The fact is that divorce is difficult.  Emotions are raw, family life is uprooted, and life becomes strained.

And children are caught in the middle.

Attorneys in Tampa Bay litigated cases are often obligated to not only focus on showing their clients in the most positive light but also shining the spotlight on the opposing parties’ parental flaws. This further frays relationships with consequences to the children.

But there is an alternative.  Collaborative divorce is a process where the clients agree not to air their dirty laundry in the court system but instead to negotiate respectfully in private offices of attorneys and other professionals.  A neutral facilitator, who usually is a licensed mental health professional, is utilized to ensure that the clients focus on the future and on what is most important:  the children.

I recently found a Chicago Tribune article which discusses collaborative divorce and it’s focus on children:

If you’ve gone through a divorce, you know how challenging it can be to keep your emotions in check. Add children to the mix and the damage can be devastating. But experts say more divorcing couples are seeing the benefits of putting down the boxing gloves and placing their children’s needs first.

“There is a turn toward collaboration now,” said Linda Perry, who founded Divorce Consultants in Chicago after going through her own divorce. “As a litigator, I’ve watched so many disasters, and I can honestly call my former spouse a co-parent and friend today. But this has to be a priority for each parent in order for it to work.”

Certified divorce financial analyst Nancy Liebman, who is based in Evanston, said she too is noticing the shift.

“There’s more of a sense of ‘Let’s get this done so we don’t ruin our children,'” Liebman said. “People are putting kids first rather than revenge.”

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“With the collaborative process, you each sign an agreement that says you are going through this process and if it does not work out, you have to litigate, but you will have to hire a different attorney,” Liebman said. “This process lends itself to getting through it without tearing the kids apart. This costs a lot less than litigation.”

If you have questions on how a Tampa Bay collaborative process can help your family law matter, schedule a consultation with a Florida collaborative attorney by calling The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., at (813) 443-0615 or filling out our contact form.

Adam B. Cordover serves as Vice President of the Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay and is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.  Adam served on the taskforce that drafted the Hillsborough County collaborative family practice administrative order.