an extended negotiation between the two spouses, with the aid and counsel of their respective attorneys, and, as needed, other professionals such as a financial planner, a child advocate, and a mental health professional acting as coach for each spouse

an innovative, less formal and new legal process in which the parties and their respective attorneys agree by contract to resolve the issues using cooperative strategies rather than litigation

Proceeding in which each spouse contracts a lawyer, and together the spouses and their lawyers negotiate a settlement.

In a collaborative divorce, the parties and their legal representatives agree in advance that they will resolve their differences justly and equitably without turning to the courts. What many would call an "ideal divorce," the goal of the collaborative divorce is the future well-being of a family. A collaborative divorce can only occur when everyone is committed to honesty, cooperation, integrity and professionalism.

Collaborative law (also called collaborative practice) originally started off as a divorce procedure in which two parties in a dispute agreed that they would not go to court, or threaten to do so. It has expanded significantly since then. The parties strive to reach a fair settlement through a series of four-way meetings between the two parties and their attorneys.