How does Collaborative Practice affect the traditional attorney-client relationship?
Collaborative Practice changes some aspects of the traditional attorney-client relationship. Your attorney is your advocate and advisor. Per the Collaborative Practice Agreement, your attorney focuses primarily on being your “Counselor at Law.” Rather than preparing for litigation, your attorney will be assisting in developing the terms of a settlement that both spouses will deem fair and effective. The goal is not to out-litigate the other side, but rather to reach a fair settlement of the case. Your attorney will sign an agreement that, in order to promote settlement, there will be civility, honesty, and full disclosure of assets. Litigation maneuvering is not a part of Collaborative Practice. However, this does not mean that everything you disclose to your attorney necessarily is disclosed to the other side. There will be discussions that you and your attorney have, outside the presence of the other side, that are confidential. Nonetheless, the philosophy of Collaborative Practice i
