By Sandra Crawford, JD, Mediator and Collaborative Lawyer

The Collaborative Divorce Process is a limited scope representation model of conflict resolution. It has been under development for the last 30 years and has been practiced in Illinois since 2002. In 2018, the Illinois Legislature and the Illinois Supreme Court adopted rules which govern the practice. While the model has applications to all areas of disputes where maintaining a future relationship is important, currently in Illinois, it is practiced primarily in family law.

This model offers a unique opportunity for couples to separate and divorce in more supported and productive ways, then are traditionally experienced when a family law matter is litigated. In Collaborative Divorce, an interdisciplinary team of trained and compassionate legal, mental health, and financial professionals forms a network around the couple and works together to help them restructure their relationship in a respectful and dignified way. Doing that not only helps the couple, but where there are children, it can have a profound impact on how children experience separation and divorce.

Divorce is traditionally an expensive process. Families facing divorce often lack financial resources and often find the prospect of hiring a team to work on the specific aspects of the restructuring of their family legally, emotionally, financially, too costly to even contemplate. Recognizing this challenge, the non-profit group, Collaborative Divorce Illinois (CDI), has created a “low bono” program, call the Modest Means Program. This program is a groundbreaking effort aimed at making Collaborative Divorce available to low and middle-income couples at a deep discount.

Continue reading Crawford's Spotlight on Pro Bono article.