Collaborative Law Institute Blog – Family Law Attorneys & Professionals
Don’t Let Fear Make You Penny Wise and Pound Foolish About Spousal Maintenance
If you are going through a divorce, you might be feeling anxious about how to deal with spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony, is a payment that one spouse makes to the other after the divorce to help them maintain a similar standard of...
KIDS CORNER | Modeling Behavior We Want Our Children to Emulate
I hope that young children were not still up and watching the *Academy Awards broadcast when Will Smith got out of his seat, walked up the concourse, and forcefully slapped Chris Rock for making a poor joke at the expense of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. But even if...
I Can Be Collaborative But My Spouse Will Never Agree To Anything
In collaborative dissolution cases, this is a common objection when meeting for the first time with clients. Another variation is, “I can be a terrific co-parent, just not with my spouse.” I am often stymied by this reaction. Of course, I know nothing about the...
Pro Se Divorce is Often Fraught with Problems – Even with the Best Intentions
It may be tempting to save money in a divorce by drafting a decree with your spouse, or by completing a form decree. This is especially true if it appears that you and your spouse are in accord on all issues. But be warned: unintended consequences can arise...
Collaborative Divorce Expands to Greater Minnesota
Since its inception in Minnesota 30 years ago, the Collaborative Divorce process has helped families in all 50 states and more than 25 countries find a healthier way to end their marriage without going to court. However, this respectful alternative to contested...
A Little History: Sharing your idea with one person begins to change the world
Thirty years ago, in 1990, a family lawyer in Minneapolis named Stu Webb had an idea. He thought the idea was good enough to share with the Minnesota Supreme Court Justice at the time, “Sandy” Keith. Stu’s letter of February 14, 1990, to Chief Justice Keith starts...
Politics, Divorce and “the other side”
Frustrated with the world of politics today? Unless you are reading this from your hospital bed, having just awakened from a long coma, I am going to guess the answer is yes. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, it’s likely that you have about had it with all...
Take a Deep Breath: The Children are Listening
Children begin their lives constantly observing and emulating our use of language. A baby watches, listens and models her mother’s face saying “Ohhhh,” moving her own lips to form the shape of that sound. A toddler in his car seat repeats the word his parent...
Should I get Divorced During the Covid-19 Pandemic?
Divorce is never an easy topic, nor should it be an easy answer – but what about during a pandemic? Is disrupting your family’s life to separate into two households the right thing to do when a pandemic is taking place? There is never going to be a “right” time to...
Unbundling in a Collaborative World: Working to get the Best of Both Worlds
Collaborative Divorce is a method of divorce that started in Minnesota in 1990 and has now spread to more than 25 countries. The initial defining principle of Collaborative Divorce was that the lawyers would withdraw if the matter became adversarial and went to...
