Collaborative Law
Before filing a petition with the Court, contact a collaborative law attorney here at Clark Law Offices.
Collaborative Law is a unique alternative to typical litigation. Essentially, each party chooses an attorney that has special training in the Collaborative Law Process. Click here for a list of collaborative law attorneys in NH collaborativelawnh.org. The parties and their Collaborative Law counsel prepare the documents required by the Court.
In order to participate in the Collaborative Law process, both parties agree to refrain from filing a petition with the Court until a final resolution is reached. In this way, neither party is bound to the timeframes of the court nor do the parties incur unnecessary legal fees to continue procedural hearings while engaged in the discovery and negotiation process.
In the Collaborative law process, both parties agree to full disclosure of financial documents and agree on evaluation of values of assets and joint consultation of experts. The issues are negotiated in four way conferences between parties and their collaborative law counsel. Both parties are able to receive legal advice on issues as they come up which is not true if parties attempt mediation without legal counsel present. The benefit of getting legal advice as issues arise can eliminate costly mistakes.
Also, in the event the collaborative law process breaks down, both parties will have agreed at the onset to retain new counsel for litigation purposes. This approach ensures that there are no advantages to taking an unreasonable position in the collaborative process as both parties have the equal disadvantage of obtaining new counsel.
The Collaborative Law process helps the parties to communicate his/her respective needs and to work out solutions which can be especially useful if the parties have children and will need to effectively co-parent into the future.
If you are interested in talking to one of our trained collaborative lawyers, we offer a free initial consultation and evening appointments by phone or at our office. Contact Clark Law Offices now at (603) 669-8700 for more information.
Mediation Services
At Clark Law Offices, we have attorneys that have marital mediation training. We can offer mediation services or offer legal advice to just one party before mediation with review of draft documents before they are executed. Our staff cannot offer both types of services to the same clients. If an attorney offers legal advice or reviews documents to the same client, we cannot offer mediation services.
Marital Mediation
Mediation is another alternative to traditional litigation. Parties may opt to attempt mediation to resolve divorces, legal separations, or parenting matters. Parties may also choose to attempt mediation for modification issues.
In divorce, legal separation and parenting matters, a mediator that has had specific marital mediation raining should be consulted. In marital mediation, the mediator may assist the parties to prepare the necessary documents required by the Court.
Mediation is not for everyone. It is best used by individuals who have not had significant problems agreeing on matters and who are willing to fully disclose financial documentation to the other party (if applicable).
If you opt for mediation services with Clark Law Offices, the mediator will meet with both parties and offer referrals for legal advice and review of documents.
If you are interested in talking to one of our trained marital mediators contact Clark Law Offices now for a free initial consultation at (603) 669-8700 for more information.
Legal Advice and/or Review of Documents
It is wise to obtain legal advice prior to mediation and after mediation to review the proposed documents. Even if you are meeting with a marital mediator that is an attorney, that attorney mediator cannot offer legal advice.
It cannot be overstated that agreements made in mediation are usually enforceable once signed. There are many issues, such as property division or debt allocation, which cannot be modified after the fact. If you do not receive legal advice in advance, or at least prior to execution of a mediated agreement, you may regret your decisions and may not be able to avoid the future consequences of those decisions.
If you need legal advice or to review mediated documents, contact Clark Law Offices now at (603) 669-8700 for more information.
