"Collaborative law" is a term applied to an emerging form of legal practice — one which emphasises problem solving, negotiation and client empowerment. Ultimately, it aims to help people who want to resolve their differences themselves to stay out of court.
For lawyers, it adds a new dimension to the skills and services they can offer clients; and for the clients of lawyers, a new way of settling things with the added security of being guided by good legal advice as they go through the process.
In collaborative practice clients and lawyers agree in writing to reach settlement without court involvement.
While the use of collaborative law in Victoria has largely been used in family law matters, it’s a process that can resolve all kinds of disputes — civil and commercial.