It may seem odd to expect a divorce litigator to help keep the family together, seeing as their job is to negotiate the divorce’s terms. However, the best divorce litigators aren’t like the combative cutthroats sometimes depicted in dramatic Hollywood movies.

In real life, the best divorce lawyers help to make the divorce’s conditions livable for everybody, for the sake of both the children and the separated couple that need to be co-parents moving forward. Please read on to hear how they do it.

Collaboration Means Reasonable Concessions

Naturally, separating couples may feel a rift between them that makes trust difficult. Collaborative divorce litigators like those at the Tailor Law seek to restore some trust early in the process by making concessions to the other parent when they’re reasonable.

For example, one side’s collaborative lawyer will recommend and even insist that the other parent have ample time with their child if they have a special, unique gift only they can provide. The idea is to ensure that the divorce doesn’t deprive the child of parental guidance and support regarding a subject they feel passionate about.

If a child loves literature and their father is a novelist, the mother’s collaborative lawyer won’t stand between them sharing and refining their bond. Seeing the process conducted in such good faith can lower the temperature at the outset and help create more respect and trust between the parents, helping ensure the divorce process is smoother and quicker.

Time Matters

Sometimes, when there’s anger and a significant financial discrepancy between the two people divorcing, one side can try to deliberately prolong the divorce, making it more expensive to harm their ex-partner by draining them of money they may not have. When a divorce becomes a siege, everybody loses except the lawyers, who get to bill hourly.

Collaborative lawyers understand that single-mindedly pursuing critical legal rights, like a person’s custody, alimony, and property rights, is only one major dimension of the divorce. Completing the process quickly allows parents to move on with their personal lives sooner.

Divorce is an emotionally draining process. It costs a lot of money, but it also drains time and energy. Holistic lawyers who see the larger picture understand how valuable it is for their clients to get their lives back on track quickly.

Related: 6 Tips for Keeping Peace in the Home During a Divorce

Tough When Needed

After a collaborative lawyer has made reasonable concessions in a helpful, professional way, it’s up to the other side to determine how to respond. Perhaps they’ll reject the positive overtures and insist on a fight.

Collaborative, holistic lawyers understand that there’s only so much in their control. If their client’s ex-partner’s lawyer wants to wage war, they’ll be as tough as the situation calls for. Their prime directive is to secure the best outcome possible for their client, which means achieving favourable terms for their financial, property, and custody rights and a healthy co-parenting foundation. If the lawyer on the other side refuses to play ball, they’ll pivot and play a different game.

Their clients need to stabilize their finances and lifestyles to be good parents, and holistic divorce lawyers will fight to ensure they have everything they need.