What Is a Collaborative Divorce Attorney?

A collaborative attorney is a lawyer trained in cooperative negotiation who represents one spouse in an out-of-court divorce, with both spouses signing a participation agreement.

Is Collaborative Divorce Available in Brooklyn, NY?

Yes. ReSolutions offers collaborative divorce services from its Park Slope office and via remote sessions across Kings County. Call (718) 965-9236 for a free consultation.

How Do I Know If Collaborative Divorce Is Right for Me?

Collaborative divorce may suit you if you want your own legal representation<> but prefer to avoid a contested court proceeding. A free consultation can help you compare options.

Can I Use a Consulting Attorney If I Choose Mediation Instead?

Yes. ReSolutions offers consulting attorney<> services for mediation. A consulting attorney reviews your mediated agreement to confirm it reflects your legal rights before you sign.

What Issues Can a Collaborative Divorce Attorney Help Resolve?

A collaborative attorney can help resolve property division, parenting time, custody, child support, spousal support, and retirement accounts, plus ongoing parenting coordination for Brooklyn families.

Collaborative Divorce Attorney

A collaborative attorney represents you personally while keeping all negotiations out of court. In a collaborative divorce, each spouse retains a separate, trained attorney. Both attorneys commit in writing to settling every issue through cooperative negotiation rather than litigation.

Your attorney advises you on your rights under New York Domestic Relations Law and speaks on your behalf during joint sessions. The goal is an agreement that works for your whole family, not a judge deciding your home, children, or finances.

This differs meaningfully from mediation. A mediator is a neutral third party who facilitates discussion but does not represent either spouse. Your collaborative attorney is squarely on your side while still committed to a respectful, out-of-court process.

Both approaches are cooperative and out of court, but structured differently. In divorce mediation, one neutral professional helps both spouses reach agreement. In collaborative divorce, each spouse has their own attorney at every meeting, providing individual legal counsel throughout. This suits spouses who want their own legal voice but still want to avoid the cost and unpredictability of Kings County Supreme Court.

ReSolutions offers both collaborative divorce and mediation and can help you determine which fits your situation during a free consultation.

1. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your situation and compare approaches.

2. Each spouse retains a collaborative divorce attorney. Both sign a participation agreement committing to resolve all issues outside of court.

3. Both parties voluntarily exchange all relevant financial documents openly and in good faith.

4. Joint sessions take place with both spouses and their attorneys present. Neutral professionals such as a financial specialist or parenting coordinator may join when helpful.

5. Once all issues, including parenting time, property division, and support, are resolved, a binding settlement agreement is drafted and filed.

If either party pursues litigation after the process begins, both collaborative attorneys must withdraw and new counsel must be hired. This creates a strong shared incentive to reach resolution.

Your collaborative divorce attorney listens to what matters most to you, whether that is keeping the family home or building a parenting schedule. Your attorney also helps fairly divide retirement accounts and other shared assets. Your attorney advises you on your legal rights, helps you prepare for each session, and drafts enforceable agreements that protect your interests.

Rachel Fishman Green, Esq., founded ReSolutions in 1995 and is a former board member of the Family & Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York. She has practiced as a collaborative divorce attorney since 2001, helping Brooklyn families resolve conflict without going to court. Learn more on the about page.

Brooklyn families face real stakes: shared co-ops, small businesses, complex custody arrangements across multiple schools, and strong community ties that litigation often disrupts. Neighborhoods like Sunset Park, Crown Heights, Bay Ridge, and Flatbush want legally sound agreements without the pressure of family court.

ReSolutions serves Kings County families from its Park Slope office, plus video sessions across Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the metro area. Explore the collaborative divorce overview to compare your options.

What Is a Collaborative Divorce Attorney?
A collaborative attorney is a lawyer trained in cooperative negotiation who represents one spouse in an out-of-court divorce, with both spouses signing a participation agreement.
Is Collaborative Divorce Available in Brooklyn, NY?
Yes. ReSolutions offers collaborative divorce services from its Park Slope office and via remote sessions across Kings County. Call (718) 965-9236 for a free consultation.
How Do I Know If Collaborative Divorce Is Right for Me?
Collaborative divorce may suit you if you want your own legal representation<> but prefer to avoid a contested court proceeding. A free consultation can help you compare options.
Can I Use a Consulting Attorney If I Choose Mediation Instead?
Yes. ReSolutions offers consulting attorney<> services for mediation. A consulting attorney reviews your mediated agreement to confirm it reflects your legal rights before you sign.
What Issues Can a Collaborative Divorce Attorney Help Resolve?
A collaborative attorney can help resolve property division, parenting time, custody, child support, spousal support, and retirement accounts, plus ongoing parenting coordination for Brooklyn families.