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Bannockburn Collaborative Law Attorney

Collaborative Divorce Attorney in Lake County, IL Facilitating Amicable Resolutions in Bannockburn, Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, and Throughout Northeastern Illinois

Just because two people have determined that they don’t work as a couple anymore doesn’t mean they can’t work together to resolve the issues involved in their divorce. A collaborative divorce is a different approach to dissolving a marriage or civil union. By working together cooperatively and respectfully, each party—under the guidance of their own knowledgeable Bannockburn collaborative law attorney—can talk through the issues and come up with thoughtful, fair solutions that help the family move forward under these new circumstances.

Although collaborative divorce has only recently become a legally recognized approach to dispute resolution in Illinois, the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm has a long history of implementing its principles and practices to help clients resolve issues as amicably as possible. If you’re exploring collaborative options for resolving family law issues, you need the guidance of someone with extensive knowledge of these practices to direct your efforts and oversee the process. For a confidential consultation with a seasoned collaborative divorce attorney in Lake County, IL, contact us today.

Leaders in Collaborative Law in Illinois

At the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm, our divorce attorneys have been leaders in bringing collaborative law to Illinois.

We believed so strongly in its potential to make life and the legal process better for our clients that we began using collaborative practice as an alternative dispute resolution method on an experimental basis even before it became part of state law.

Because we have cultivated our skills in collaborative law from the time it was little more than an evolving concept through its formal inclusion in Illinois statutes today, our attorneys have a depth of experience in the collaborative process that you won’t find anywhere else.

Let a leader in the field guide you through the collaborative divorce process. Turn to an established Bannockburn collaborative law attorney at the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm for assistance amicably resolving your divorce from start to finish.

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Understanding Collaborative Divorce

In Illinois, collaborative divorce can also be referred to by terms like the following:

  • Collaborative law
  • Collaborative practice
  • Collaborative process

By any terms, the collaborative divorce process offers a cooperative approach to divorce and other domestic issues outside of the courts.

How Collaborative Divorce Works

In the collaborative process, each party generally retains its own counsel. The two spouses and their respective attorneys all participate in a four-way cooperative meeting format. In this format, all participants agree to be bound by a written agreement setting forth the rules and procedures for joint problem-solving.

The aim of collaborative divorce is to offer solutions through constructive, analytical resolution facilitated by respectful communication between the spouses and their attorneys rather than through fighting, hardball negotiations, or court judgments.

Addressing the disputes that must be decided to finalize the divorce through collaborative practice can remove these issues from the adversarial atmosphere that often accompanies litigation.

During the process, your collaborative divorce attorney in Lake County, IL, will work toward engendering mutual respect and focus on common goals within the family. We address the goals of providing for children and attending to their concerns in order to secure their future.

By establishing a collaborative structure and a rational outlook to nurture thoughtful decisions, a Bannockburn collaborative law attorney may be able to help you achieve fair, reasonable settlements that benefit the whole family.

Collaborative Divorce Under Illinois Law

Collaborative divorce became a formally recognized practice when the state passed the Illinois Collaborative Process Act in 2017, which took effect on January 1, 2018.

Under state law, the collaborative process for resolving family or domestic relations disputes in Illinois can apply to a variety of matters, including (but not limited to):

  • Divorce or dissolution
  • Legal separation
  • Annulment
  • Property distribution
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Child custody
  • Prenuptial agreements
  • Postnuptial agreements
  • Post-decree agreements

For an agreement reached through collaborative practice to be legally enforceable, Illinois state law generally requires parties to present the agreement to the court for approval.

How a Bannockburn Collaborative Law Attorney at the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm Can Help

Under Illinois state law, both spouses need a qualified collaborative process lawyer who signs a collaborative agreement to represent and guide them through this process. The Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm takes this responsibility seriously.

We have a long history of assisting clients with alternative dispute resolution methods to promote amicable resolutions and have utilized collaborative law practices on an experimental basis even before state law formally recognized the process. Throughout this cooperative process, your collaborative divorce attorney in Lake County, IL, will serve as your guide, ensuring agreements proceed in ways that are fair and reasonable.

Why Choose the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm?

Just a few of the reasons families throughout Northeastern Illinois have sought out our legal team to assist them with the challenges of divorce and family law disputes include:

  • Experience across all areas of family law: We have served families in the North Shore region for more than 25 years, providing assistance in all areas of family law disputes and representation through all approaches to resolving issues and finalizing divorces.
  • Leadership in collaborative divorce: Well before state law formally acknowledged the collaborative process, our forward-thinking attorneys were integrating these principles and practices into our repertoire on an experimental basis and using such processes for clients who wanted them. We are recognized as leaders in the collaborative law space in Illinois.
  • Compassionate, personalized approach: Knowing how difficult divorce can be, we’re committed to providing compassionate guidance throughout the process. We have always believed in taking a personalized approach that puts each individual client’s unique goals, priorities, and family dynamics first, and that mission equips us for the work of developing personalized, creative solutions to disputes during the collaborative process.

We’re here to support you and your efforts to cooperatively explore solutions to marital disputes through collaborative problem-solving with your spouse.

Contact a Bannockburn Collaborative Law Attorney Today at the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm for an Initial Consultation

A collaborative, cooperative approach to divorce that preserves family relations and communication is possible. The right Bannockburn collaborative law attorney can facilitate these efforts and guide you through the process of cooperative problem-solving.

For help from a collaborative divorce attorney in Bannockburn, IL, contact the Katz, Goldstein & Warren Law Firm online or call us today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Collaborative Law in Illinois