Negotiation Tactics For a Newport News Collaborative Divorce

A Newport News divorce attorney who is familiar with collaborative divorce can help answer your questions pertaining to this and other potential alternatives to litigation. When ending your marriage, the adversarial model of divorce may not be for you. Collaborative divorce is a type of alternative litigation that some people find effective. 

In this type of divorce, the parties work with a collaborative law team to help work out the details of their breakup, addressing things like: 

• division of property;
• child support; and
• spousal support, all with the advice and guidance of knowledgeable professionals. 

While attorneys and divorce coaches can help facilitate communication, it's up to the separating parties themselves to be willing and ready to discuss the issues at hand. This can take a bit of preparation and understanding of how the art of negotiation works. 

Negotiating Your Divorce 

The point of negotiation is not to “win”, but to find mutually agreeable solutions. This will probably take some compromise on both sides. In order to start off on the right foot it's best to focus first on the issues on which you and your soon-to-be-ex agree. 

When you move on to more complicated matters, try to remain organized. It's easy to go off on bunny trails and lose track of the issue at hand. Don't rush through negotiation; take your time to take the problem apart and brainstorm about how it might be solved. If you notice the conversation going off track, you can nudge it back to the original topic. 

This is different than a traditional divorce, where you will be restricted in what you say by the rigid rules of the court. In a collaborative divorce, you will have more control over how you would like the talks to go. You can spend a large chunk of time discussing a particularly important point in one session and then address the other issues in a subsequent session. 

Taking the time to listen to your ex might be one of the most productive things you can do in negotiation. Even if you feel you won't agree with him, and you're eager to offer a rebuttal, it's wise to control that impulse so that you can hear him out. It will be much easier to make decisions when you have access to all possible information. 

Your Newport News divorce attorney, divorce coach and other professionals can sometimes help keep the conversation on topic. Couples participating in collaborative law need to be wiling to compromise in exchange for the freedom of taking control of their divorce. 

If you feel you have a good solution to a problem, don't be afraid to explain it. Collaborative law is all about respecting everyone involved, and your voice is important to the negotiation process. 

Contacting a Divorce Lawyer in Newport News 

While we know that a collaborative divorce can’t eliminate the pain associated with the dissolution of a marriage, the Virginia women’s divorce attorneys at Hofheimer/Ferrebee want to help you to achieve a peaceful and successful resolution that will enable you to move on with your life and look ahead to the future. 

Learn more about collaborative divorce and get closer to starting your new life with peace of mind – request a FREE copy of our guide, What Every Virginia Woman Should Know About Divorce, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar. Call 757-425-5200 to speak with a Newport News divorce attorney.