Cordover Joins Sarasota Collaborative Family Law Professionals

Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover has joined the Sarasota Collaborative Family Law Professionals (“SCFLP”) practice group.

About the Sarasota Collaborative Family Law Professionals

SCFLP is similar to a local bar association (it is not a law firm), and it is a membership-based organization made up of independent lawyers, psychologist, therapists, accountants, and financial planners who believe that there are better alternatives to court-based divorce.  Specifically, the group educates professionals and the public about Collaborative Divorce and Family Law, and its members help families through the Collaborative Process.

As stated in the Sarasota group’s brochure, “All members of SCFLP have extensive experience in the area of family law. They are committed to the collaborative process and work together to reach a settlement on fair and equitable terms without the financial and emotional cost that often accompanies litigation. All members of SCFLP have extensive experience in the area of family law, and are licensed by their respective designated professional organization. Each completes the training required by the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).”

The Collaborative Process

As stated on the SCFLP’s website:

Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is a process whereby parties and their respective attorneys work together with the sole goal of reaching an efficient, fair, comprehensive settlement of all issues. The team of professionals assists and supports the parties as problem-solvers, not as adversaries.

Collaborative Process

The Collaborative Process uses informal discussions and conferences attended by both parties and their attorneys in an atmosphere of honesty, cooperation, integrity, transparency, and professionalism.

It requires that both parties, with the assistance of their attorneys, provide all pertinent documents and information relating to the issues to be settled, and that they work together toward a shared resolution.

Decision-making meetings of all members of the team are scheduled with agendas in place and agreed agendas are followed.

The Three Key Elements:

• A voluntary and open exchange of information between the participants.
• A pledge by the team to reach an out-of-court settlement and not to litigate. If the team is unsuccessful in resolving the issues, all members of the team are discharged.
• A commitment to respect the parties’ individual and shared goals.

The Collaborative Team

The SCFLP brochure describes the members of the Collaborative Team as follows:

LEGAL EXPERTS Our attorneys are client advocates and work with the team to thoroughly address and resolve all family disputes

FINANCIAL NEUTRALS Our financial experts assist in gathering and analyzing financial information and provide neutral financial advice to both parties

NEUTRAL FACILITATORS Our neutral facilitators guide the process and help the parties address parenting plans and family restructuring

Collaborative Law Process Act

As mentioned by SCFLP’s website, “The Florida Legislature enacted the Collaborative Law Process Act, effective June 2017, for the purpose of creating a uniform system of practice for collaborative family law cases. The policy goals are to encourage peaceful and early resolutions of disputes in a non-adversarial manner which preserves the working relationship between the parties and reduces the emotional and financial toll of litigation.”

Facing Divorce In Sarasota?  We Can Help.

If you are in Sarasota or elsewhere in Florida and you are facing divorce or other family law issues, we are happy to discuss whether your situation is a good fit for the Collaborative Process and how it can help your family.  You can reach out to us by clicking the button below.

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Adam B. Cordover is a former president of the Next Generation Divorce, a member of the Tampa Bay Academy of Collaborative Professionals, and now a member of Sarasota Collaborative Family Law Professionals.  He is on the Board of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and recipient of the inaugural Visionary Award of the Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals.  Adam is co-author of an American Bar Association book on Collaborative Practice, and he has traveled around the U.S., Canada, France, and Israel to teach  judges and divorce professionals about the Collaborative Process.  Adam has offices in Sarasota, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, and he represents clients virtually throughout the State of Florida.