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FAMILY LAW & COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE

Family

We provide a wide range of family law services, including separation agreements, cohabitation and prenuptial agreements, collaborative separation and divorce, and litigation support. 

Our Services

Collaborative Separation & Divorce

There are many different ways to go through a separation and divorce, and different legal processes. These include collaborative family law, mediation, arbitration, and litigation. We focus on helping families using an out-of-court approach, but we also provide litigation support through limited legal services and legal coaching.

Couples Counseling

Collaborative Law is an alternative approach to resolving issues between spouses without resorting to litigation. It allows couples to maintain control over the process and outcome of their separation, while avoiding the need for constant court intervention. The process involves collaboratively-trained professionals such as lawyers, coaches, child specialists, and financial experts, who work together to provide support and guidance as needed. By signing a contract, all parties commit to resolving conflicts in a respectful and safe environment, eliminating the threat of litigation.

 

One of the key advantages of Collaborative Law is the creation of a secure space where couples can address their concerns with the assistance of their respective lawyers. Unlike traditional divorces where each side may try to defeat the other, collaborative divorces emphasize teamwork and mutual agreement. The goal is to reach out-of-court agreements that prioritize the best interests of every family member. As a result, the collaborative divorce process, often referred to as a "good divorce," has proven to be a better fit for many families.

 

In addition to enabling a healthier resolution of conflicts, the Collaborative Process provides valuable support even in highly tense and conflicted environments. By utilizing a team of professionals who work together harmoniously, couples are able to find resolutions that work for both parties and meet their individual needs. This approach not only strengthens the family during the transition of separation but also equips them with conflict management skills that can be applied in the long term, reducing the need for court intervention years after the divorce is finalized.

Organizations:

Association of Collaborative Professionals (Edmonton) (ACFP(E)): divorceseparation.ca

International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP): collaborativepractice.com

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC):afccnet.org/

Out of Court Settlements

Business Lunch Meeting

The more that parents can do to resolve problems together and proactively, without involvement of the court, the better off their family will be.

Lawyers are experts in the law and legal process, and we have sufficient knowledge and experience to resolve many financial and parenting issues, but some issues are more complex, or the clients themselves need more help than just one lawyer can provide. We often bring in various experts into the process, whether the matter is being litigated, negotiated, or mediated, but there is nothing that prevents clients from proactively seeking out these professionals themselves.

Family Contracts

  • Separation

  • Prenuptial

  • Cohabitation Agreements

More information Coming Soon

Limited Legal Services & Legal Coaching

Independent Legal Advice

In addition to traditional representation, we also offer limited legal services and legal coaching. This allows clients to choose the right level of support for their own circumstances. 

Friendly Meeting

Limited legal services are just that - legal services that are limited in scope. Instead of hiring a lawyer to do everything for you, you hire them to do just the things you want, such as reviewing pleadings (court documents) that you've prepared yourself, or preparing pleadings for you. Just about anything a lawyer might do for you under full representation, they can do for you as a single piece.

Legal coaching is more about guiding you through your legal matter, explaining the processes and steps involved and providing advice along the way.

There are many reasons a person might choose to receive limited legal services or legal coaching. Often it's financial, as a means of saving some money by doing some - or a lot - of the work themselves. Sometimes it might be that a person can manage most of their matter themselves, and they just want a bit of help or a second opinion. Independent legal advice could be considered a limited legal service, if the lawyer is just reviewing and providing advice on a document prepared by someone else.

We offer a variety of services on a limited basis, including document preparation, document review, independent legal advice, legal research, and more. If you'd like to learn more about how this might work for you, please schedule a free consultation.

RESOURCES

Organizations:

Association of Collaborative Professionals (Edmonton) (ACFP(E)): divorceseparation.ca

International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP): collaborativepractice.com

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC):afccnet.org/

General Resources:

 

Alberta Courts: albertacourts.ca/

Parenting After Separation course: alberta.ca/pas.aspx

Government of Canada family law resources: justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/fl-lf/index.html

Government of Canada parenting plan tool: justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/parent/plan.html

Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta: cplea.org

Government of Alberta Family Resolution Hub: www.alberta.ca/family-resolution-hub

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