You probably have more experience dealing with doctors than with divorce lawyers. You may find this analogy helpful.
If you had a heart problem, you wouldn’t go to an orthopedist. If your goal is a good divorce settlement, then, why would you go to a trial lawyer? It makes more sense to choose an attorney with skills, training and experience in getting good settlements.
In our medical analogy, a divorce trial is comparable to surgery. Surgery is risky, stressful and expensive. You don’t undergo surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary.
A collaborative divorce is comparable to the medical approach to a problem. When dealing with an illness, usually the least risky treatment is recommended. Going to court is risky. Over my 30-plus-year care as a divorce lawyer, I have told countless clients, “Get your needs met in a settlement. At trial you roll the dice.” When confronted with a divorce, think collaborative first – the same way you would think of medicine or physical therapy before considering surgery. Court should be a last resort.
Moreover, if you are serious about avoiding the risk of going to court, hire a settlement professional. The skills involved in creating a viable settlement are different from the skills involved in preparing for a trial. A collaborative attorney has those settlement skills.
© Arnold Cribari, 2014
