Does Your Divorce Lawyer Meet IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Practitioners?

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The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals has established Minimum Standards for Collaborative Practitioners, most recently revised in October 2014.  When you consider hiring a divorce attorney, and you are exploring the option of Collaborative Divorce, ask your potential attorney whether he or she meets each of the following Minimum Standards:

1. General Requirements:

1.1 The Collaborative practitioner is a member in good standing of: IACP; and a local Collaborative Practice group.
1.2 The Collaborative practitioner accepts the IACP Mission Statement.
1.3 The Collaborative practitioner diligently strives to practice in a manner consistent with the IACP Ethical Standards for Collaborative practitioners.
1.4 The trainings referred to in 2.2, 3.3 and 4.3 must be trainings that meet the IACP Minimum Standards for trainings delivered by trainers who meet the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Trainers.

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Lawyer Review: A+

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We at Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm work hard to help clients through some of the most difficult times in their lives.  We recognize that divorce is tough, and that in many ways it can feel like a death.  The death of a relationship.

We are here for our clients to guide and counsel them.  We reassure them that they will get through it, and we advise them as they are making tough choices each step of the way.

We have been fortunate that many of our clients, surprised at how different we are from other law firms, want to spread the word that there is a better way than traditional divorce court battles.  One such review, below, was recently posted to Google for our St. Petersburg office.

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Cordover Receives FACP Inaugural Visionary Award

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At the Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals‘ (FACP) 8th Annual Conference, Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover was awarded the inaugural Visionary Award.  The FACP presented this award to recognize Cordover’s work in developing, co-chairing, and co-instructing the inaugural FACP Leadership Institute.

FACP Leadership Institute

In 2014, Cordover graduated the first ever Leadership Academy of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.  Since that time, he dreamed of bringing a similar program to Florida.

In 2018, he proposed to the Board of the FACP a one-year intensive course of study to develop future leaders of Collaborative Practice.  Collaborative Practice is an interdisciplinary form of out-of-court dispute resolution where professionals work with families in a private, goal-oriented, non-adversarial method.  It is an alternative to traditional court-based divorce and other family law matters.

Orlando psychologist Deborah Day and Barrie, Ontario lawyer Brian Galbraith joined Cordover to build the program.  As conceived, it would come to consist of three in-person meetings (though, due to current times, the last meeting was held via Zoom) throughout the year, and bi-monthly webinars led by leaders of Florida and International Collaborative communities.  Participants (who would come to be known as “Fellows”) of the Leadership Institute would be expected to present a workshop at an FACP conference.

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Cordover Presents at Israeli Collaborative Divorce Training

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Last week, I had the opportunity to present at an Israeli Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce Training.  I was invited by Idith Schaham, a friend and trainer who taught at the first Hebrew-language Introductory Collaborative Divorce Training and a co-founder of many Collaborative Law Community Centers in Israel.

I presented alongside my Tampa Bay Collaborative Trainer colleague, Jeremy Gaies, Psy.D., with whom I traveled to Israel in December 2018 to discuss Collaborative Practice with fellow professionals.

My presentation focused on “Preparing the Client for Team Meetings.”  Below you will find slides from the presentation, along with some explanation.

Introduction

The presentation started with my introduction.

This slide translates as follows:

Attorney Adam Cordover

  • Board Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).
  • Co-author of an American Bar Association (ABA) book on “Building A Successful Collaborative Family Law Practice.”
  • Former President of Next Generation Divorce.
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator.

 

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Collaborative Divorce May Not Be Right For You

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Collaborative Divorce is a form of private dispute resolution where you and your spouse agree to use your attorneys solely for the purpose of reaching an out-of-court agreement.  Collaborative Divorce is not for everyone.  Though Collaborative Divorce has worked for thousands of families around the world, it may not be the right process for you.

This article explores whether Collaborative Divorce may not be right for you.

You want your “Day in Court”

You may want your “Day in Court.”  You may feel that, if only you could get in front of a judge, he or she would, of course, see the heroism innate in your positions and the dastardly deeds committed by your spouse.

What most litigants do not realize is that it can take months, or even years, to get in front of a judge to make final decisions regarding your divorce.  And that time in front of a judge can be quite limited, meaning you will only be able to tell the judge a small part of your marital story.  And it is up to the judge to determine which parts are relevant.  Last year, I created the following video to demonstrate this dilemma:

In Collaborative Divorce, judges do not decide outcomes.  You and your spouse decide outcomes.  The only time you go in front of a judge is when you and your spouse have already reached an agreement.

So, if you want your “Day in Court,” Collaborative Divorce may not be right for you.

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St. Petersburg Family Lawyer Review

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At Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm, we work to help families resolve disputes without fighting in court.  We do this via Collaborative Family Law Practice, mediation, and unbundled legal services.  Most clients appreciate this approach, as we spare them from the trauma and expense of court battles.

A client recently left a review on our Google page.  You can find that review below.

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Changing My Transgender Child’s Legal Name

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Being a supportive parent can oftentimes be challenging, but you and your transgender child may have come to the conclusion that it is time for a legal name change.  Is it possible to change a transgender child’s name to match his or her identity?

So long as both legal parents are in agreement, in most circumstances you can change your minor child’s legal name.

Petition for Change of Legal Name

In Florida, legal name changes are accomplished through the court system.  Accordingly, you will need to petition a court in the county in which you live for your child’s name change.  The petition must include information such as:

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Family Diplomacy Opens St. Petersburg Office

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Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm proudly announces the opening of an office in the heart of Downtown St. Petersburg.  We do so on June 1, 2020, as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of our firm and the fifth anniversary of our dedication to resolve family disputes exclusively out of court.

Saint Petersburg Family Law Office

Our new office is located at 475 Central Avenue, Suite 205, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701.  We are in the historic S.H. Kress & Co. Building, situated on the corner of Central Avenue and 5th Street South.  The Kress building was built in 1927, influenced by the Beaux-Arts movement, and served as a five and dime store until 1981.  The building is located within the Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 2001.

We also maintain our office in Downtown Tampa, located at 412 E. Madison Street, Suite 824, Tampa, Florida 33602.

Additionally, we are accepting matters throughout Florida. Read more →

Divorce Lawyer Review: Extremely Efficient Attorney

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We at Family Diplomacy are fortunate to work with good people going through tough times day in and day out.  We are truly honored when a client takes the time to post a review of our services.  The review below was posted by a former client on Avvo.com:

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Cordover Presents at Indiana University Collaborative Law Class

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I recently had the pleasure to speak via zoom with a Collaborative Law class at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.  I was invited by Joshua Jones, who is a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor of Law.

During the class, I was asked to talk about a whole variety of issues related to Collaborative Divorce and Family Law, including the following:

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