Knoxville Collaborative Divorce Lawyers
Helping Clients Resolve Divorce without Litigation
Collaborative law is an approach that seeks to avoid the traditional adversarial litigation model in favor of a team approach to conflict resolution. Held Law Firm is specially trained in collaborative law and is committed to taking a team approach in resolving your issue. The parties agree, in a written contract, to jointly retain the necessary specialists to assist in reaching an agreement and the attorneys involved agree that neither will represent either party in court if the collaborative effort is unsuccessful.
We believe that the divorce transition can moves clients towards a more positive future, especially where co-parenting will be needed.
Suppose you are interested in resolving your collaborative divorce more peacefully and amicably. In that case, our Knoxville divorce lawyer recommends learning more about how the collaborative process can benefit you.
Connectwith Held Law Firm by calling (865) 685-4780 to book a consultation today.
How Does the Collaborative Law Process Work?
Litigation often causes hostility. Collaborative law is designed to prevent, limit, or end that hostility. This can be especially important in cases where, as angry as you might be with your spouse, you recognize you will have to work with them in the future to co-parent. It can also work in divorces where the parties don’t hate one another; they just don’t love each other anymore and have decided to part ways.
In collaborative law, parties and their attorneys sign a contract agreeing that they will not ask the Judge to resolve their dispute. Instead, they will consult with various professionals, such as accountants, financial advisors, and child therapists; exchange information openly; and resolve their divorce themselves in advance of formally filing for divorce.
A divorce coach, typically a licensed mental health professional, helps guide the process and works with the parties to move through conflicts and aid in communication. The divorce coach keeps the process going forward and facilitates meetings. A financial specialist is employed to analyze the parties’ financial assets and options and assist with developing a plan. Sometimes, if children are involved, a child specialist may be utilized to help with the parenting plan.
The idea is for the parties to gather information from neutral resources and make informed decisions about the future of their family. The parties and their attorneys meet separately and in four-way sessions to discuss their needs, options, and to cooperate through creative problem-solving to resolve all of their issues in the private setting outside of court. Once they have come to mutually-agreeable terms, their attorneys can formalize the agreement for submission to the court.
The Benefits of Collaborative Divorce
The benefits of a collaborative resolution include:
- A less adversarial and more amicable process where both parties and their children may face less emotional stress
- A private process outside of the public forum of a courtroom
- Less costly than courtroom litigation
- Less time-consuming because it does not depend on court schedules
- More control of deeply-personal issues as opposed to having them decided by a judge
Resolve Your Divorce with Help from a Knoxville Collaborative Divorce Attorney
If you are seeking a more harmonious way to transition through your divorce, we advise you to seek the help of Held Law Firm.
Learn more by contacting us at (865) 685-4780 today.
testimonials
Hear About Former Clients' Experiences-
“We live in California and needed a law firm to help us get custody of our 2 young (9 and 12 yo) grand nephews after their mother passed away. Held Law Firm, Chelsea and Abigail, in particular were our ...”
- TB Northern California -
“After being married for over 40 years, I was at a point in my life that I no longer wanted to take care of every aspect of being in that situation. I felt it was time for me to start thinking more ...”
- C. White -
“Newer to the Knoxville area and looking for a law firm to help us set up our will. Melanie Hogg, with Held Law Firm, came highly recommended and have to say the reviews were right. Melanie was ...”
- A. Witte -
“Held law firm went above and beyond to help me with a case they don't normally do. I appreciate how dedicated they are to helping make sure the case goes well. I couldn't have had a better attorney ...”
- J.A. -
“Margaret and her staff make you feel very welcome from the beginning. Everyone in the office makes a difficult process a lot easier to go through. She and her staff are kind, thoughtful, patient, ...”
- J.W. -
“After interviewing almost every attorney in downtown Knoxville and finding them to minimize and plan to use a cookie cutter approach to my case I was deeply relieved to find Held Law Firm. They are ...”
- L. F. -
“Margaret Held was excellent help with obtaining information on my divorce. She knew exactly what she was talking about and I feel confident that they are one of the best lawyer offices in Knoxville!”
- K. M. -
“Short Version: Melanie and Chelsea are a force to be reckoned with and thank God they were on my side. Do yourself a favor and go with them. **Worth the read if you are searching for a Lawyer** Long ...”
- R. F. -
“From the day I walked in the office, I was greeted like family. The attention, the hard work and the team effort that Held Law has given me will forever be appreciated. I highly recommend Held Law to ...”
- J. L. -
“Chelsea Price exceeded expectation with our case of step parent adoption. I highly recommend her for adoption cases. She was professional, accurate, and timely in completing everything that needed to ...”
- Ashley C. -
“Ms. Held helped me turn around a complete nightmare situation. She was creative with problem solving and was not afraid to step in and get things done.”
- Bethany T. -
“This is a firm that truly cares & will literally have your back & encourage you through the tough times!”
- Alicia U. -
“I wanted to find a firm who could help me obtain a quick, affordable divorce and Held provided just that. All members of their team were extremely responsive and informative. Never did I feel out of the loop or confused and I always felt comfortable asking”
- Brittany H. -
“I am so grateful to her because now I have a signed court order clearly defining visitation with my grandchild, which had previously been denied. I believe that without Margaret this would not have happened.”
- Debra I. -
“At no time did anyone at the firm take any action on my behalf without first having a conversation with me and getting my approval. While I hope I never have to go through a divorce again, I know I'd gladly seek their assistance again. In fact, if I ever n”
- Kevin F. -
“Melanie was great! She provided excellent assistance and eased our concerns throughout the process. She arranged a virtual hearing for us so we could still have a court date even as in-person meetings ...”
- Tammy R. -
“Very professional, extremely reasonable with fees, and most of all they truly care about their clients.”
- Pamela H. -
“Kudos to this law firm for being straight up with their clients - hard to come by these days!”
- Amy F. -
“Another great aspect of Held Law Firm is how comfortable and welcoming they are so you don't feel anxious. The atmosphere and vibe makes you feel right at home and so welcomed.”
- Sandy H. -
“They know the legalities and how to do their jobs well, and they provide individualized service based on their client's needs. Excellent!”
- Barbara J. -
“This is my family's future, and it's the only chance I have to make it right. With my entire family's future hanging in the balance, Margaret has given my case the attention and effort it deserves.”
- Devon C. -
“Melanie and her team at Held Law Firm were efficient and informative during my recent divorce settlement. Melanie was courteous and listened to my many questions.”
- Sandra B. -
“I would not look for another law firm to handle any of my attorney needs.”
- Stefan T. -
“The Held law firm is staffed with only the best and they will fight for you in court. They cleaned up a mess made by our previous attorney, and got our case moving forward. Margaret has the experience and skills to get you the best results possible.”
- Darrel W. -
“I really appreciated that they were so responsive to my needs, and made sure that I had realistic expectations. There were no surprises here. They didn't let my ex push me around and were there for me every step of the way, always making time to explain to”
- Faith B.
Why Hire held law firm?
"There isn't a better group in Knoxville"-
When You Hire One Attorney, You Hire the Entire Firm
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A True Passion for Standing Up for What's Right
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Our Goal Is for Every Client to Leave on Cloud 9
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Actively Involved in Improving Our Local Community
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A Team of Fearless Trial Attorneys
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Over 50 Years of Experience in Family Law
