Collaborative Divorce and Mediation

Finding Solutions That Meet Your Needs

In the realm of family law, many people do not feel that traditional litigation is always the best method for resolving issues between people. Alternative methods of dispute resolution such as collaborative divorce, mediation and arbitration have been gaining in popularity for some time.

At the Steele Law Firm, we understand that family law is about more than just the legal issues. We are committed to representing you in whatever context is best for you overall. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation about your options.

An Agreement to Stay Out of Court

Collaborative divorce is an increasingly popular alternative to both traditional litigation and mediation. The central aspect of collaborative divorce is a formal agreement to resolve the issues without going to court.

In collaborative divorce, each party is represented by an attorney, ensuring that they are aware of their rights and giving them the experience of someone who has worked on divorce cases before.

While the parties have a legal right to fall back on the courts, the attorneys agree to withdraw from the case if it ends up in court. The expectation is that the lawyers will therefore use their expertise to find solutions to the issues the parties face, rather than encouraging litigation.

Making Use of Neutral Expertise

Mediation is also a viable alternative procedure, and many Illinois judicial districts will order mediation before a divorce case goes to trial. Mediation involves a neutral third party who helps the parties resolve their issues.

The mediator could be a lawyer, a retired judge, a mental health professional, an accountant or some other professional, depending on the key issue to be mediated.

Arbitration is a similar procedure, but the decision of an arbitrator is binding, whereas the outcome of mediation is only binding if the parties sign an agreement.

At the Steele Law Firm, we can provide you with a mediator, arbitrator or attorney who can represent you in a collaborative divorce, mediation or arbitration. Contact us to learn more about these alternative dispute resolution procedures.