Collaborative Practice

Resolving Disputes with Privacy and Control

Collaborative Practice offers a sophisticated, out-of-court pathway to settlement, placing control and resolution back in your hands.
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When facing family separation or complex estate disputes, keeping sensitive matters private, resolving issues respectfully, and avoiding the cost and stress of court is paramount. Collaborative Practice offers a sophisticated, out-of-court pathway to settlement, placing control and resolution back in your hands.

Our trained Collaborative Lawyers, Alice Byrnes and Dannielle Ford, are members of the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals. They guide you and your family through a structured, respectful negotiation process, working alongside accredited professionals (financial planners, accountants, child experts) to find comprehensive, future-focused solutions.

The process requires a commitment to open, honest dialogue via a Participation Agreement, making it ideal for families seeking an amicable separation or the resolution of intricate estate and succession planning issues. Collaborative Practice works best for those with a low level of conflict who value privacy and long-term resolution over litigation.

Explore this controlled path to settlement today.

Collaborative Practice Advantages & Process

Control and Privacy

The entire process takes place outside the public scrutiny of the courts, ensuring maximum discretion and that you, not a judge, maintain control over the outcomes.

Team-Based Resolution

We work with a coordinated team of accredited professionals (financial and child experts) to address every aspect of the settlement, ensuring comprehensive, holistic, and long-lasting solutions.

The Participation Agreement

All parties agree to negotiate openly, honestly, and respectfully, ensuring the focus remains solely on finding a settlement.

Broad Application

Effective for both intricate Family Law disputes (property, parenting) and sensitive estate or succession planning issues involving family members, providing a low-conflict alternative to litigation.

Flexible Funding

Utilise our partnership with JustFund to offer a family law line of credit, enabling access to legal assistance without immediate financial constraints.

Collaborative Practice FAQs: Is This Right for Me?
It works best for individuals and families who desire an amicable separation, are able to share information honestly, and prioritise finding solutions outside of court for their family law or estate planning disputes.
This is the foundation of the process. It’s a binding contract signed by all parties and their lawyers, committing everyone to negotiate respectfully and prohibiting the lawyers from initiating or participating in litigation should the collaborative process fail.
Yes, it is highly effective for both. It allows for creative, future-focused solutions for property division and allows parents to craft unique and detailed parenting plans that meet their children’s needs better than a court order typically can.
Yes. If the process does not result in a settlement, you still have the option to litigate, but you must retain new lawyers. This incentivises all participants to commit fully to the collaborative negotiation.

Learn More About the Collaborative Path.

Call or email our office today to speak with Alice Byrnes or Dannielle Ford to determine if Collaborative Practice is the right avenue for your legal dispute.

Our Collaborative Practice Team

Alice Byrnes – Acc. Spec. (Family)

Director

Alice Byrnes – Acc. Spec. (Family)

Director

Dannielle Ford

Director

Dannielle Ford

Director