GRETA HOFFMAN, Attorney at Law, PLLC

In a traditional divorce proceeding, you and your spouse will go to court to fight over the issues most important to you. Often, it becomes an acrimonious process which further complicates your transition into single life. Also, since a judge who does not intimately know you and your spouse will decide many of these issues, the divorce agreement often does not reflect the best interests of either party or their children.

Collaborative law provides you and your spouse an option that can help you avoid the bitterness and fighting involved in a traditional divorce. It is a process that helps both parties work together to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement in a more harmonious manner.

This process is an ideal option for couples who want to have an amicable relationship after their divorce, can commit to communicating openly and honestly, and wish to retain control over their divorce. When young children are involved, collaborative law can provide your children with a smoother transition into divorced life and facilitate better future communication between you and your spouse regarding parenting issues.

The Collaborative Law Process

In collaborative law, both parties are represented by an attorney. At the start of the process, both spouses and their attorneys sign a contract agreeing not to go to court. Instead, they will negotiate a mutually beneficial settlement. If, for some reason, the process unravels and an agreement cannot be reached, both attorneys must withdraw from all future involvement in the divorce proceeding; however, both parties are free to find new counsel to proceed to court.

During the collaborative law process, you and your spouse will benefit from the advice and expertise of your attorneys while removing the adversarial aspect typically found in a divorce. If needed, mediators, experts, and counselors may be included in the process. However, this is not required.

Benefits of Collaborative Law

Collaborative law offers couples the following benefits over a traditional divorce:

• You and your spouse retain control over the entire process.
• You can focus on the settlement without worrying about the threat of a long, bitter trial.
• You will typically save a great deal of time and money compared to a divorce that requires protracted litigation.
• You negotiate a better agreement that represents the issues important to everyone in your family.
• You provide an easier transition for your children at a very traumatic time in their lives.
• You and your spouse will be able to maintain better lines of communication in the future, facilitating better parenting after the divorce.
• You resolve your divorce with a greater degree of dignity and mutual respect.

An Experienced Collaborative Law Attorney

Greta Hoffman is committed to providing you with the best representation for all of your family's legal needs by presenting you with as many options as possible.

Ms. Hoffman understands that, in some cases, a long and bitter trial is unavoidable during which she will fight to secure the best possible award for her clients. However, if at all possible, she will work with her clients to resolve their divorce in a more amicable manner that saves time, money, and heartache. In order to provide her clients with the best options to meet their individual needs, Ms. Hoffman participates in collaborative law proceedings throughout the Northern Kentucky area.

Ms. Hoffman has three years of collaborative law experience. She attended the initial collaborative law training and continues updating her skills through monthly meetings with the Academy of Northern Kentucky Collaborative Professionals.