How to Choose a Collaborative Divorce Professional

Choosing a Collaborative professional is an important decision. The right professional will guide you through the Collaborative process in such a way that you fully benefit from all that makes it different from traditional divorce.

Questions to Ask:

  • How long have you been involved with matrimonial/divorce/family law?
  • How long have you been working on Collaborative cases, and approximately how many cases have you been involved with?
  • What percentage of your caseload consists of Collaborative cases?
  • What do you see as the benefits of proceeding with Collaborative cases vs. a litigated case?
  • Are you a member of the NYACP as well as the IACP?
  • Have you worked with my spouse’s lawyer in a Collaborative case before? What is your experience with him or her?
  • How many team cases have you been involved with? What team professionals were involved in those cases?
  • In your opinion, who are the best Collaborative professionals in this area, and why?
  • In your opinion, what are the main reasons that some cases don’t settle through the Collaborative process?
  • What are your hourly rates?
  • Will you provide me with an itemized monthly bill?
  • How do you calculate your billable hours?
  • If I have a question about my case, can I call you? How quickly can I expect to have my calls returned?
  • Can you name a few things I can do that will make my case go more smoothly?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What documents do I need to produce?