Stanton M. Cole, Attorney

COLLABORATIVE FAMILY AND CIVIL LAW

I have been in private practice since 1971, during which time my practice emphasized personal injury, business, real estate, probate and estate planning, and family law. In 2008 I was introduced to the collaborative system of handling family and civil law disputes, a procedure that I now offer to my clients as an alternative to expensive and often, embittering litigation. Presently, I continue to practice in all of the above fields of law, but I utilize the tools of collaborative law whenever available to resolve all disputes.

In the field of family law, the collaborative process enables my clients to proceed through the dissolution process with dignity, self-empowerment and retention of amicable and often friendly relationships with their children and ex-spouses. Resolution is achieved through negotiation, with the assistance of specialists, in a non-threatening environment whereby the parties achieve the results that are based on their interests (for themselves and their family), and not based upon the dictates of the legal system or their respective attorney's notion of what is best for their client. Although the cost of reaching a final settlement is regarded by many parties as very important in determining the legal process use, the following benefits derived from the collaborative process are viewed as more important than cost:

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A process which better focuses on the concerns most important to the client

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A less confrontational and less adversarial process

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A more respectful process

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A process whereby the clients exert more control over the outcome

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A less stressful process

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A process that engages professionals who will work more as a team to help clients solve problems

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A process that better provides sufficient time to address all concerns

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A process that gives the clients more control over the outcome (as the outcome is based on the interests of the parties, not their legal positions)

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A better outcome

In addition, experience has shown that the collaborative process results in a stronger bond results between the parties and their children. The atmosphere surrounding the parties following the dissolution of marriage proves to be a healthy one whereby both parties are able to move forward with their lives without the acrimony and hatred toward each other that often results in the litigation model.