Advantages of the Collaborative Process

General Overview

Collaborative Practice & Mediation

New Roles of Professionals

Steps in Collaborative Practice

Advantages of Collaborative Practice

- Two Approaches to Decision Making

- Collaborative Practice and Litigation

Development of Collaborative Practice

Advantages of the Collaborative Process - Page 2

For the Professionals and the Legal Profession

Prior to the development of Collaborative Practice:

Family lawyers had difficulty taking pride and satisfaction in their work. Rather, many family lawyers regretted their choice of profession and reported that they would not advise their children to choose the law as a career. 4
It has also been found that family lawyers are also more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and suffer from clinical depression. 5

However, since the development of Collaborative Practice:

Lawyers report that their enthusiasm for practicing family law has been rekindled as they are generally less stressed.
Lawyers report that they have more profitable practices and clients seldom complain about paying their legal bills.
Attitudes about lawyers have undergone a positive transformation in their client's eyes.
Relationships among lawyers, both colleagues and rivals, have improved.

Therefore:
Collaboration leads to better-served, more satisfied clients and their families, happier lawyers, and ultimately the possibility for increased respect for the role of the lawyer in general. 6

4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. J. M. Pritchard and B.T. Kornack, "The Collaborative Process" (2002) Papers Presented at the Mid-Winter Meeting of the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Branch 187 at 204.

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