“Why can’t we just sit down and work this out like reasonable adults?”

“Why is this taking so long?”

“Do I get to have any say in what happens after all of this?”

“We keep sending letters, my bill keeps getting larger, and yet we haven’t made any progress…”

“How can someone who’s never met my children really decide what’s best for them?”

These comments are common among family law clients.  To them, they are just frustrated with the outcome of a Court appearance, or the time spent negotiating back and forth, but seemingly getting nowhere.  To me, they are suggesting that perhaps an alternative to the litigation approach would better meet their needs.  Perhaps the most familiar way to deal with family law issues is by going to Court.  This is not always the best option, though – in fact, Court should be viewed as a last resort in many cases.  Collaborative Law is one of many alternatives to Court and is a process I encourage all family law clients to consider.  So what is it?

Collaborative Law is a no-court approach to separation and divorce that helps protect the long-term interests of all family members.  Specifically, it is a client-centered, non-adversarial dispute resolution process facilitated by trained professionals who assist participants in resolving conflicts using cooperative strategies and constructive communication as opposed to adversarial methods.  Through a series of group meetings (often called “four-way meetings”), collaborative lawyers and participants are encouraged to identify the key issues that matter to them and to generate solutions to address their specific needs.  At the outset of any collaborative law process, all parties involved agree to negotiate an agreement without going to court.

McKercher LLP is proud to offer Collaborative Law services in both our Saskatoon and Regina offices.  If you are interested in learning more about the Collaborative process, or would like to discuss whether this process is right for you, please contact us.

This post is for information purposes only and should not be taken as legal opinions on any specific facts or circumstances.  Counsel should be consulted concerning your own situation and any specific legal questions you may have.

For more information and resources regarding McKercher LLP Family Law Saskatchewan visit www.mckercher.ca/familylawsask