Collaborative Law - Table of Contents

• Additional Collaborative Divorce Links from Gitlin Law Firm links page
• Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois (CLIL)
  • Events of the CLII
    
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP)
  Website of International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, the umbrella organization for collaborative practitioners and practice groups in the fields of law, mental health coaching, and divorce-related financial services.                                          
• Q&As for the Public by IACP
• Slide Show for the Public:  Collaborative Practice:  "A Better Approach to Conflict Resolution"
  
• Collaborative Divorce
  Collaborative Divorce Training Institute is now devoted mainly to trainings sponsored by the organization.  For an overview of all trainings, however, see the IACP's web site (above). 

• Resources for Collaborative Professionals:
  • ABA Ethics Opinion:  American Bar Association Ethics Opinion Regarding Collaborative Practice:  The summary of this ethics opinion states:  "Before representing a client in a collaborative law process, a lawyer must advise the client of the benefits and risks of participation in the process. If the client has given his or her informed consent, the lawyer may represent the client in the collaborative law process. A lawyer who engages in collaborative resolution processes still is bound by the rules of professional conduct, including the duties of competence and diligence."
  • Draft Uniform Collaborative Law Act: Uniform Law Commission -- National Conference of Commissions on Uniform State Laws.  2008 Annual Meeting Draft with Comments / See also ICAP article
  • General Collaborative Divorce ListServe:  Collaborative Professionals:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/collablaw/
    This is a listserve for practitioners trained in collaborative family law. Access is free to all trained practitioners but requires an application.
  • Mediation Training in Illinois:  (Most collaborative lawyers have training in mediation because some of the same skills apply to collaborative practice.)
    • Mediation Counsel of Illinois -- ADR Training and Continuing Education
  • Texas Protocols of Practice for Collaborative Family Lawyers - Final Version [01/24/2005]
    • Collaborative Professional:  Protocols of Practice for Mental Health Professionals Involved in Collaborative Family Law [08/10/2005]
    • Protocols of Practice for Financial Professionals were approved by the CLI-Tx Board of Trustees in February of 2006.
    • Multidisciplinary Collaborative Divorce paper presented by Norma Traush, Texas in August 2004
  • Transforming Practices Book and Web Site:  Collaborative Lawyers:   www.transformingpractices.com
    A website dedicated to transforming how lawyers practice
  • Collaborative Law Statutes and Ethics Opinions from Boston Law Collaborative, LLC. This contains links to the statutory law and ethics opinion. 
  • Appreciative Inquiry:  Appreciative inquiry has applications to collaborative practice.  It is a method for brining about rapid positive change to any system.  See, e.g., The Power of Appreciative Inquiry:  A Practical Guide to Positive Change by Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom or see www.positivechange.org.
  • Taking the War Out of the Words:  The Art of Powerful Non-Defensive Communication An excellent resource for collaborative professionals is Taking the War out of the Words.  The tenants work equally well in negotiating traditional adversarial negotiation but are especially well geared toward collaborative representation.    This is one of the few books on CD which I strongly recommend. 
  • Training Events:  See Q&As re Collaborative Law:
    • Calendar of IACP
  • Lowenstein Resource Page
  • Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School / PON for Lawyers
  • Interest Based Negotiations / Integrative Negotiations
• Resources for the Public
  • Download Free Collaborative Divorce Knowledge Kit from the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
  • February 2007 Forbes article regarding collaborative divorce in cases involving a closely held business.
  • www.whileweheal.org
    A valuable resource for divorcing parents who are willing to make serious commitments about coparenting after the divorce for the benefit of their children
  • Responsible Divorce (www.proactive-coach.com/divorce/)
    Conventional and collaborative divorce methods are discussed.
  • The Smart Divorce:  Book and web-site.  This book provides some worthwhile guidance. Her links page provides a link to the Best Lawyers in America site. 
    • State your goals and objectives at the beginning.  Make sure these are realistic.
    • Maximize your information and knowledge base.
    • Avoid reacting to emotions.
    • Retain the best possible divorce team your budget allows.
    • Treat your divorce as a business transaction. 
      

Videos for the Public

• Divorce Collaborative Style:  This is a 27-minute videotape that features clients, lawyers, judges and a divorce coach who have had experience with collaboration. Developed by IACP's advisory board member Tony Seton, it features advisory board member Hon. Donna Hitchens and board members Hon. Ross Foote, Nancy Ross, Linda Seinturier and Pauline Tesler. It has earned excellent reviews for its clarity, honesty and purpose.
• Today Show Clip Regarding Collaborative Law.

Collaborative Practice in the News

• 2004 Article re Collaborative Divorce: 
• LeeRosen's column regarding Collaborative Divorce
• Article Addressing the International Nature of Collaborative Divorce
• Divorce for Executives
• Judges See the Benefits of Collaborative Practice The Republican - Springfield,MA,USA
• April 2007 Article Re Collaborative Practice
• June 2007 Article re Collaborative Practice Texas
• Collaborative Law Institute of Texas -- 10 Top Reasons to Choose Collaborative Divorce

• September 2007 Article:  Advocates Believe Collaborative Method a Better Way to End Marriage

  Pittsburg Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

• Couples Embracing Kinder, Gentler Divorce
  New York, AP Press, USA

• Christian Science Monitor Op. Ed Article by David A. Hoffman:  Collaborative Law Doesn't Have to be an Oxymoron

  Christian Science Monitor, October 9, 2007

• March 2008 Article:  Collaborative Divorce Florida

  Wink News.com

• The Impact of Divorce on a Business

  Eastside Business

OTHER COLLABORATIVE LAWYERS AND COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONALS IN ILLINOIS

Gitlin Law Firm List of local collaborative law attorneys

Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois List of Professionals

International Academy of Collaborative Professionals:  This web site gives more background as to the collaborative attorneys as compared to the current Collaborative Law Institute Illinois

The Gitlin Law Firm's practice is limited to family law in areas including McHenry County, Kane County, Lake County, Illinois.  These Q&As are provided as a service to potential and current clients. A person's accessing the information contained in this web site, is not considered as retaining The Gitlin Law Firm for any case nor is it considered as providing legal advice. The Gitlin Law Firm cannot guarantee the outcome of any case.

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Last Updated:  September 17, 2008