The traditional divorce model pits husband versus wife, mother versus father. Collaborative Law is a refreshing team-oriented alternative. Each client retains a separate attorney whose job is to counsel the client and help resolve disputes. The attorneys work together to help both clients meet their needs. Open communication is advanced by a trained facilitator, while support and property options are developed by a neutral financial professional. The clients, attorneys, and other team members agree beforehand that the matter will not be brought into the court system until a full agreement is reached.
The Collaborative Process allows for flexible, creative solutions to a family law matter. The team explores options that look beyond a legal framework by incorporating the skills and expertise of the facilitator and financial professional. Clients are encouraged to focus on the best interests of their family, rather than rigid negotiation positions, to reach their goals. In the unlikely event that a settlement is not reached, the Collaborative attorneys withdraw and litigation lawyers may be retained. The knowledge that the Collaborative attorneys cannot bring the case in front of a judge further permits the parties to speak openly about potential settlement options (and frees attorneys from conducting exhaustive, costly opposition research).
When you retain Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm to represent you in your family law matter, you hire a team. Attorney Adam B. Cordover and Florida Registered Paralegal Jennifer Gunnin are here to help you every step of the way.
A former client discusses her recent experience on Avvo. As required by the Florida Bar, please note that each case is different, and we cannot guarantee the same or similar results for you:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 →
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:
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:
I recently had the opportunity to interview ADR legend Forrest “Woody” Mosten. Woody has been on the forefront of Mediation and Collaborative Practice and is the founder of Unbundled Legal Services. Woody also happens to be a friend and mentor of mine and my co-author of “Building A Successful Collaborative Family Law Practice” published by the American Bar Association in 2018. You can find the video below.
You can find the Peacemaker Practice Self Survey reproduced below.
PEACEMAKER PRACTICE SELF-SURVEY
Forrest S. Mosten and Kevin Scudder[1]
Peacemaker Professionals are lawyers, mental health professionals, and financial professionals who deliver services to clients in a number of roles: Advisor, Information Provider, Organizer, Legal Counselor, Mediator, Evaluator, and other forms as service-provider.
We at Family Diplomacy appreciate all of our clients’ reviews. Recently, a client left a review on Avvo.com.
Please note that every family’s case is different, and we cannot guaranty that your family’s outcome will be the same or similar.
Posted by Stephen
They made the experience like working with family, they explained everything so that I understood anything that I needed to know. I always felt as though they always had my best interests in mind on a personal level.
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We are open during COVID-19. We invite you to contact us to learn how we can help you.
Adam B. Cordover is a leader in the international collaborative family law movement. He is co-author of an American Bar Association book on Collaborative Family Law Practice, and he is a member of the board of the International Academy of Collaborative Practice.
