Just last week I received an email from a family law attorney wanting to know what it takes to become a Collaborative Attorney.  The obvious first response is to take the Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Training.  But that answer falls so short of being fully responsive.

To become a Collaborative Professional there needs to be a commitment to make a paradigm shift even if only when doing Collaborative while maintaining a litigation practice.  It means committing to the disqualification clause and to interest-based negotiating.  Most importantly, it means a commitment to Ethical Standard 3.2A.  A Collaborative Professional will respect each client’s self-determination, recognizing that ultimately the clients are responsible for making the decisions that resolve their issues.

To become a Collaborative Professional it requires a willingness to work in a team setting.  This is usually the most difficult for lawyers.  As litigators they are the quarterback of the team.  In the Collaborative Process they are just a member of the team.  And teamwork is paramount in this Process.

To become a Collaborative Professional, you must do more than the introductory training.  This is not an easy Process.  Good Collaborative Professionals become that way through constant learning.  They attend advanced trainings. They attend our Friday Happy Hour. 

If you know someone who wants to become a Collaborative Professional, My Collaborative Team is holding our fall training with the Tampa Bay Collaborative Trainers. Visit this link to learn more and register today. Once this virtual training is over, it won’t be offered again in this format.