Collaborative divorce becoming more popular

A growing number of couples going through a marital separation are opting for a collaborative approach as they seek to end their union in an agreeable manner.

The Associated Press reports that more and more people are turning to collaboration as a means to have a less costly and more acrimonious divorce and that an increasing number of lawyers are working to offer their clients this option.

A collaborative divorce involves each party using a lawyer, with both legal minds working together to come up with a solution that is as fair as possible for each spouse, often with the help of other expert consultants.

In 1999, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals was established and since then it has grown to such a size that it now has 3,000 members. Talia Katz, executive director of the academy, has estimated that there are now 20,000 lawyers who have been trained in collaborative law.

She said: "Most of us had that moment where we realise the adversarial process is so damaging for our clients - and there's a recognition that we can do better."

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