Texas Collaborative Lawyers
Collaborative Law is becoming a preferred method for securing a divorce in Texas. Texas was the first state to draft and approve statutes involving the Collaborative Law process. Lawyers handling Collaborative Law cases should be trained in the Collaborative Law process. When parties and trained Collaborative lawyers agree to participate in the process, they each sign a Collaborative Law Participation Agreement which, among other things, commits the parties and the lawyers to utilize every effort and resource to reach an agreement.
The Collaborative Law process is a structured, systemized and organized method to conduct settlement negotiations and agreements. The negotiation process is interest based, rather than position based. The parties identify their goals and the important interests they need to achieve. The parties and attorneys develop and evaluate options to achieve the goals and interests.
The Collaborative Law process can involve not only the parties and attorneys, but also allied professionals such as mental health professionals and financial professionals. Mental health professionals can help the parties on child issues and on communication. Financial professionals can help the parties examine their current financial situation and develop options for their financial future. A series of joint conferences are held between the parties and their attorneys, as well as allied professionals, if allied professionals are utilized.
The Collaborative Law process allows parties to set the joint conferences when appropriate for their schedules, rather than being dependent on the court docket system as in a traditional divorce. The Collaborative Law process can result in a more amicable divorce with a customized, well-crafted settlement appropriate for the parties and their children. The Collaborative Law process, when compared to litigation, is generally more efficient, less time-consuming and less expensive.
Mike Gregory and Alyson Gregory Richter are experienced, well-trained Collaborative lawyers who have successfully completed many Collaborative Law cases. They have more than 40 years of combined experience as divorce lawyers and have committed a large portion of their practice to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques, including both Collaborative Law and mediation.
Collaborative Law Helps Children
The main concern of most divorcing parents is the welfare of their children. They may fight hard for child support, custody, and visitation and end up in a bitter battle — but studies show that children are best served by a healthy, restructured family, one in which their parents are able to be amicable with each other and minimize post-divorce conflict. Collaborative Law is well-known for its ability to create amicable post-divorce relationships that are best for children.
The Collaborative Law process is critically important to preserve and protect the relational estate of the family and focuses on how the restructured family relates and deals with each other after the divorce. Within the restructured family, children still have music recitals, sporting events, and school events in which parents should be present. If the children have butterflies before the event, it should be because of the event itself, not because of a fear that their parents will argue with each other again and embarrass them in front of their friends. Collaborative Law does much to help the restructured family be able to attend post-divorce family events such as graduations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals, with less stress than would be present after a litigated divorce.
Of course, Gregory Family Law lawyers can do more than just alternative dispute resolution. With more than 42 years of combined experience in hard-fought litigation, the firm's lawyers can engage in a court battle if necessary. There are times when litigation is the best option, and Gregory Family Law can aggressively pursue any litigation in any Texas court.
Contact the Firm
To set up an appointment with one of Gregory Family Law's lawyers, visit this site's contact page. You can also call the firm at 940-387-1600 or 972-434-3828.
