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Sound Collaboration
is a local
non-profit corporation bringing Collaborative Law to the Puget Sound area
through professional training and public outreach. What is Collaborative Law?
Collaborative Law
is a process
where both parties and their attorneys commit themselves to resolving
differences in a manner acceptable to both parties, without the threat of
resorting to the court system or to any form of litigation.
Collaborative Law
relies on the
commitment of the parties and their attorneys to exercise honesty,
cooperation, professionalism, and integrity in working toward the future
well-being of both parties and others affected by their dispute (such as
children).
Collaborative Law
requires that
each party and attorney take a reasoned and reasonable approach to all
issues. Major goals of the Collaborative Law process are to maximize the
settlement options for the benefit of both parties (and children) and to
minimize or eliminate the negative economic, social and emotional costs of
litigation.
Collaborative Law
enlists attorneys
to help parties arrive at a fully informed agreement that meets the
fundamental needs of both parties, with confidence that relevant legal
issues and ramifications have been explored and addressed.
The Collaborative Process:
- Focuses on achieving an agreed settlement that allows both parties
to achieve their desires rather than on “winning” and “losing”
- Supports the parties by focusing on solving problems rather than on
being adversaries
- Preserves relationships between parties by creating a respectful
environment that sets the tone for open communication and reduced
conflict in the future
- Greatly reduces the time and money spent to reach closure by
eliminating most litigation expenses
- Allows the parties to control the pace of the proceedings through
meetings scheduled at their convenience
- Provides for privacy, confidentiality and less stress for the
participants
- Encourages creative solutions that are not available in court
What if a Settlement cannot be Reached?
The success rate of the Collaborative Law approach is exceptionally high.
However, in the event the parties are unable to arrive at a settlement
through the Collaborative Law process, the collaborative attorneys
withdraw from the case. Then the parties may retain trial lawyers to
pursue their matter in court. The collaborative attorneys will assist in
transitioning their clients to new representation. The result is that the
parties will have had the best representation for each phase of their
proceeding.
Who Practices
Collaborative Law?
Attorneys who practice Collaborative Law are experienced in various
fields of practice and are specially trained in collaborative problem
solving and communication. Their training encourages mature, cooperative
behavior. Collaborative attorneys uphold the highest standards of
integrity. They diligently advocate for their clients while protecting the
dignity of everyone involved. They are as committed to reaching a
settlement as they would be in preparing for and conducting a trial.
A Dignified Approach
to Resolving Conflict
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