One of the first steps in every Collaborative Case is to determine who will be a member of the professional team in your case. When putting together a Collaborative team, the only requirement is that each party have an attorney. Although the attorneys are trained to work Collaboratively and will work to find win-win solutions for your family, each of you must have your own attorney. The attorneys will provide legal advice and explain the pros and cons of potential settlement options.
In addition to the attorneys, the most common professionals on Collaborative teams are a financial neutral, coach(es), and/or a child specialist. In certain circumstances, other professionals may be necessary to address specific issues in your case, and in such a situation, your professional team will help you find the appropriate professional/expert.
Financial neutrals gather and explain financial information for the entire team. Often, they also provide cash flow projections and analyze the value of settlement options.
With regard to coaches, there are one-coach and two-coach team models. If the team has one coach, this coach will be neutral, and will assist both parties. If there are two coaches, one coach will be aligned with each party. Coaches help develop parenting plans, facilitate and improve communication between the parties, and manage emotions in meetings and negotiations.
Child specialists can be used to bring a child’s voice into the Collaborative Process in a healthy manner. Child specialists are mental health professionals who are trained to work with children, and to elicit information regarding potential custody options and scenarios from children in a neutral and minimally intrusive manner.
Every team is designed to address the facts and circumstances of your case in the most efficient manner. At the outset of your case, the parties and their attorneys will determine which additional team members will be helpful, and everyone will weigh the costs versus the benefits of adding team members. In many cases, the additional upfront out-of-pocket costs to retain an additional team member is worthwhile given the benefits derived from having the professional resources to address the circumstances of your case more efficiently and developing settlement options that more closely meet the needs of your family.