COLLABORATIVE LEGAL SERVICES

Collaborative Law is an out-of-court legal process designed to help families resolve divorce, custody, and other family law matters through cooperation rather than litigation.

Each person is represented by their own attorney, and everyone signs a contract agreeing to work together openly and respectfully to negotiate a settlement. The goal is to reach practical, lasting solutions that meet the needs of both clients while keeping the well-being of the family at the center of the process.

Both parties agree that the lawyers will not represent the clients in court litigation if an agreement is not reached, thus removing the threat of litigation. By using the collaborative process, people can avoid the uncertain outcome of the traditional court process.

“Reducing family conflict, staying out of the courtroom, reaching agreements for better outcomes”
— Ms Kratovil-Lavelle

  • The Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP), developed by Connie Kratovil-Lavelle, is a 3-10 hour model of collaborative law designed to be a faster, simpler, and therefore more affordable process for reaching an agreement in divorce and custody cases.

  • The Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP), first tested in 2017 as a pilot program in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court in Maryland, Ms. Kratovil-Lavelle with other participating collaborative attorneys had nearly 100% success in reaching agreements in cases referred by the court. Instead of being involved in court litigation for months or years, these clients resolved their divorce and custody disputes in a matter of hours.

  • There is a better way.

    Resolve divorce and custody matters and other conflicts in an expedited, civil & affordable way instead of fighting in court.

    Using the Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP), people can resolve their divorce or custody matter in a limited number of hours, without going back and forth to court, without endless hearings and pre-trial proceedings, and without spending a fortune or suffering significant financial hardship. Instead of going back and forth to court, fighting at every procedural stage, in the Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP), people get together, each with their lawyer, sit around a table, provide relevant information, talk about their needs and goals, and try to reach an agreement, or a settlement, that everyone can live with.

    In Maryland, contested divorce and custody cases can take years in the courts and cost individuals who hire lawyers tens of thousands of dollars.

  • With the 10-hour Expedited Collaborative Process, and depending on an individuals’ income level and the attorney’s sliding scale fee structure, the average cost for a divorce or custody case with a CLJC lawyer is $1,000 to $3,000.

  • Most people will not qualify for pro bono legal services. But most people, particularly working and middle-class people, cannot afford the fees lawyers typically charge. The lawyers working with the Collaborative Law and Justice Center base their legal fees on a sliding scale according to the individual’s salary and individual’s needs. These lawyers have agreed to provide legal services at a significantly reduced rate, including pro bono, for individuals in divorce or custody cases using the Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP)

  • No. Fees are based on the individual’s income and needs. People who make less money, pay lower fees. The vast majority of middle-class individuals will be eligible for a greatly reduced fee.

  • Yes. Our panel attorneys can help you and your spouse come up with a Separation Agreement using the Expedited Collaborative Process (ECP), whether or not you are ready or want to proceed with a divorce. As with the ECP in divorce and custody cases, the process aims to reach an agreement in a very limited number of hours and at a reduced cost based on your individual income and needs.

 
 
Submit Eligibility Application
 

All information provided will be kept confidential. Any information gathered is only for purposes of determining eligibility for the Expedited Collaborative Process and eligibility for pro bono or reduced fee legal services. No legal advice is being offered or given at this stage

Other Reduced Fee Legal Services

Collaborative Law & Justice Center lawyers can provide pro bono and reduced fee legal representation for other types of cases.

Pro Bono and reduced fee legal services are also available for cases other than divorce and custody cases. Fees are based on the individual’s income. People who make less money, pay lower fees; people do not need to be poor or destitute to get a reduced fee; the vast majority of middle-class individuals will be eligible for a greatly reduced fee.

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