Welcome to CP California

• A divorcing couple arguing about custody, property and finances.
• Siblings arguing about an inheritance.
• Business partners arguing about labor and management decisions.
• Landlords and tenants arguing about repair bills.
• Neighbors arguing about noise and boundaries.

Each of these, and other kinds of conflicts too, can lead to expensive and time-consuming legal battles. Or they can be handled collaboratively. Collaborative Practice is a new way to resolve conflicts in a respectful and mutually agreed upon process. Rather than turning the decision-making power over to a judge or other third party, control of the collaborative solution is kept with the people directly involved in the dispute. When issues about children are part of the dispute, their needs are placed first. Clients and their attorneys are at the heart of a working team which often includes mental health, financial and other professionals as needed to provide information and help clients explore a variety of solutions. The clients don't sign a settlement agreement until each of them is comfortable with it.

What Makes This Different?

• All information is voluntarily shared as soon as possible.
• Good faith efforts to explore options are central to the process.
• Skills are developed which enable parties to handle new issues as they come up.
• Collaborative attorneys work only as settlement specialists, and disputing parties will need to hire other lawyers if any of the parties want to litigate.
• Parties can add multiple professionals to their supportive team.
• The clients retain the power to create a resolution that fits their particular needs and priorities.

You are invited to explore Collaborative Practice, and the California groups whose members are professionals trained to assist you with the healthy transition out of conflict and into the next stage of your life.