From the desk of My Collaborative Team President, Edward S. Sachs, ACP

Recently I had the opportunity to meet and speak to Elizabeth Hill the President of the Kansas City Practice Group. We also had the good fortune of having Elizabeth on our Friday Happy Hour.

The practice group in Kansas City had dwindled to about ten members. The group was desperate to grow. And grow they did. They established protocols for Collaborative practice and then went out and convinced young professionals that they thought would fit into the Process and convinced them to get Collaborative and Mediation trained. That is a big commitment of time and money. 

Over the past six months MCT, with the great Tampa Bay trainers, has trained almost 15 of their new members. The practice group is thriving. All practice group members have agreed to protocols that include providing anyone who calls their office a free 30-minute divorce process consultation. When they begin a new case, they hold a one-hour professionals only introduction meeting at no charge to the clients. Then they hold a one-hour Zoom meeting with the professionals and the clients for the purpose of reviewing the Participation Agreement, discussing initial goals and establishing a calendar. They schedule two meetings with the financial neutral, two meetings with the mental health neutral and then two or three team meetings. This one-hour administrative meeting with the clients is also done at no charge.

They have grown to a group of at least 25 now. And they did it by personally inviting other like-minded professionals to make a commitment and join the Collaborative Process. This year we should all commit to inviting at least five new people to attend a Collaborative training or practice group meeting. Better yet, invite them to join us on Friday at Happy Hour