Fields and Dennis LLP

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You are here: Home / COLLABORATIVE LAW

COLLABORATIVE LAW

Massachusetts Collaborative Law Attorneys | Alternative Dispute Resolution | Divorce & Family Law

One of the ways in which Fields and Dennis LLP handles the problems of its clients is through a process known as Collaborative Law. This is a new form of dispute resolution that is gaining a foothold in Massachusetts. Similar to the traditional dispute resolution option, the firm represents one party in a traditional attorney-client relationship and the other party is also represented by counsel. The parties and attorneys, however, each sign a binding not to go to court until a negotiated settlement is reached. The attorneys at Fields and Dennis LLP are members of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council.

Divorce is seldom easy. Divorce requires us to make life-altering decisions at a time when we are most emotionally vulnerable. Often, the last thing we need is a “blood and guts” court battle over who gets the silverware. Collaborative law is designed specifically for couples who are looking for a calm, educational and professional alternative to divorce litigation.

Collaborative divorce gives the parties an opportunity to settle their divorce without the oversight of the court. Unlike litigation, collaborative divorce allows the parties to negotiate in a structured, but non-adversarial environment with skilled legal counsel actively assisting them. Similar to litigation, the parties involved in a collaborative divorce each hire their own attorney. However, the attorneys involved in collaborative divorce are specifically trained in collaborative law and have settlement – not trial – as their primary objective. Settlement remains the main objective because the lawyers’ continued employment depends upon his or her ability to facilitate an acceptable settlement proposal. Failure to reach settlement results in the end of the collaborative divorce process, and an end to the attorney’s employment in your case.

Collaborative divorce differs significantly from traditional, litigated divorce in other ways. One example is the use of expert witnesses. In a litigated divorce, the spouses each hire their own experts: psychologists, forensic accountants, business valuation experts and/or appraisers. The hiring of these experts, while valuable to each party’s case, results in significant expenditures of marital assets toward the resolution of the case. In a collaborative divorce the spouses agree, with advice of counsel, on which experts to hire in order to decide the disputed issues. More importantly, the costs of hiring these experts are shared by the parties rather than duplicated. This economy of scale reduces the overall costs of the divorce and leaves more money in the family’s pocketbook.

Collaborative divorce is most appropriate for those clients who wish to have an active role in negotiating their own settlement while receiving the advice of skilled legal professionals.

Contact the Massachusetts collaborative law divorce attorneys at Field Dennis & Cooper LLP for a confidential consultation.

The Boston metro collaborative law attorneys and dispute resolution lawyers at the law firm of Fields and Dennis LLP serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.

Contact Us

Phone: 781.489.6776
Fax: 781.489.6233
80 William Street — Suite 210
Wellesley, MA 02481 USA

Recent Posts

Attorney Wendie E. Murstein Discusses Prenuptial Agreements on Going Solo Network (Video)

June 15, 2022

if you’re like most people, you probably don’t know too much about prenuptial agreements. Well, in this show, Attorney Wendie E. Murstein is going to change that. As she explains what a prenup is, how it works, how it can save you money and why you should consider signing one before getting married. So grab […]

Jonathan Crafts Quoted in Mass Lawyers Weekly – Defendant gets new trial after judge refuses to poll jury

June 14, 2022

Attorney Jonathan Crafts was quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly on the consequences of a judge’s refusal to allow a defendant to poll the jury, which resulted in a new trial. Please click on the link to read the full article (subscription only): https://masslawyersweekly.com/2022/06/10/defendant-gets-new-trial-after-judge-refuses-to-poll-jury/

Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW Contributed to a New Book on Family Conflict During the Pandemic

April 26, 2022

Family Conflict During a Pandemic: Stories of Struggle and Hope – [Print Replica]Kindle Edition Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW contributed a chapter in section 4, “Advice on co-operative co-parenting….”  The book highlights the continuing strain on families who are struggling with the consequence of the pandemic – illness and death, lockdowns, economic catastrophe, distance learning, […]

Jonathan Fields was featured in the fiftyplus advocate article “Gray divorce on the rise as gender equity, life expectancy increases”

February 6, 2022

The fiftyplus advocate featured Attorney Jonathan Fields on navigating divorce issues. Attorney Fields discussed some of the specific legal issues that are unique to gray divorce that must be considered when assessing financial matters, including mental competency concerns such as dementia. “From a lawyer’s perspective, a big concern is whether and to what extent each […]

FIELDS AND DENNIS LLP ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT: K9s FOR WARRIORS

December 21, 2021

Fields and Dennis LLP is once again sponsoring a fundraiser for K-9 for Warriors from Dec 13, 2021 – December 31, 2021.  K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, this innovative program […]

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    FIELDS AND DENNIS LLP
    80 William Street — Suite 210
    Wellesley, MA 02481 USA
    (T) 781.489.6776
    (F) 781.489.6233

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    Recent Blogs

    • Attorney Wendie E. Murstein Discusses Prenuptial Agreements on Going Solo Network (Video)
    • Jonathan Crafts Quoted in Mass Lawyers Weekly – Defendant gets new trial after judge refuses to poll jury
    • Sheryl J. Dennis Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly – Partition action dismissed after death of joint tenant
    • Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW Contributed to a New Book on Family Conflict During the Pandemic
    • Jonathan Fields was featured in the fiftyplus advocate article “Gray divorce on the rise as gender equity, life expectancy increases”

    Recent Firm News & Coverage

    • Attorney Wendie E. Murstein Discusses Prenuptial Agreements on Going Solo Network (Video)

    • Jonathan Crafts Quoted in Mass Lawyers Weekly – Defendant gets new trial after judge refuses to poll jury

    • Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW Contributed to a New Book on Family Conflict During the Pandemic

    • Jonathan Fields was featured in the fiftyplus advocate article “Gray divorce on the rise as gender equity, life expectancy increases”

    • FIELDS AND DENNIS LLP ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT: K9s FOR WARRIORS

    The Boston metro family law, divorce and estate planning attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis LLP are based in the Newton Wellesley area and serve the city of Newton: Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newton Upper Falls, Newton Lower Falls, Nonantum, Oak Hill, Waban and West Newton and town of Wellesley: Babson Park, Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Square Fields and Dennis also serves many clients in the Greater Boston and Massachusetts region including Ashland, Dover, Holliston, Medfield, Needham, Sherborn, Westwood, and all of Massachusetts. Attorney Jonathan Fields is a recognized authority on bitcoin and divorce

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