Collaborative Practice is a legal process of resolving parenting and property disputes that enables multiple professionals to work with a family over a series of meetings. Professionals always include a Coach (the project manager) and the client’s solicitors but may also include a Financial Neutral, a Child Consultant, and any other specialists who may be helpful.

Collaborative Practice assembles the team in the same way that a group of tradespeople might be assembled for a home renovation. The expertise of each professional is tapped into when needed in an efficient way across several meetings. The process is significantly faster and cheaper than a Court process.

During legally assisted mediation, clients receive the support of their solicitors, but any additional information is external to the process. Collaborative Practice invites the experts to have a seat at the table and problem solve with you and the other party in real time. Information relevant to decision making is shared with the team, including legal advice.

In addition, the collaborative team and the clients signs a Participation Agreement which includes a clause preventing the solicitors from representing their clients in Court if the matter is not resolved. This agreement serves as a “safe container” to enable robust conversations to take place without threat of court.

Collaborative Practice may be suggested to you by your Mediator, your solicitor or any other specialist.

The first step is for your matter to be assessed as suitable for Collaborative Practice. This is done by a Collaborative Coach.

Once both parties are assessed and willing to proceed in a collaborative way, the initial team meeting with both clients, their solicitors and the Coach will take place. A game plan will be settled on, including goal setting, preparation, meeting expectations and team formation. The process evolves over the course of several meetings, all of which are attended by team members who need to be there - the meetings are planned, prepared for and run as efficiently as possible.

Issues surrounding parenting and property can be discussed and resolved in this process. Your Coach will also provide a service as Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner for parenting matters.

The time to reach resolution will vary, and depends on the complexity of your matter and the amount of preparation that is required. It takes longer than mediation but is faster than a Court process.

When your matters are finalised, any documentation will be finalised legally.

Your team will always include a Coach and your solicitor. Extra team members are chosen depending on your goals and who you need to have present to assist you to reach them.

These specialists often include a Financial Neutral, who can support both clients to discuss financial matters, and a Child Consultant, who may meet with your children and will provide assistance with parenting arrangements. Additional experts often include business specialists such as Accountants, but may include other professionals unique to your family’s needs.

All experts need to be trained in collaborative practice.

Collaborative Practice is a process that is more expensive than mediation, because you are paying for the services of multiple experts, but it is significantly cheaper than litigation.

Meetings are planned in a way that makes the best use of everyone’s time, to maximise results and minimise costs and wasted time.

My costs as a Coach are outlined below:

Intake meeting (1.5-2 hours) $400 per party.
Cost per Meeting (multiple meetings are usually required)
Preparation, documentation, planning and debriefing $1500 (shared between clients)
Attendance at meeting (around 3 hours) $1500 (shared between clients).
Cost for Parenting Mediation
3 hour mediation including documentation $1500 (shared between clients).

I am a trained Collaborative Coach who has 10 years of experience as an FDRP and also provides support to families as a Child Consultant.

I am a member of the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals, Collaborative Professionals NSW and Northern Sydney Collaborative Professionals.