What is Collaborative Divorce?

Collaborative Divorce is a way of handling all divorce-related issues (including dissolving the marriage itself, dividing property, and handling issues related to children) entirely outside the court system, making use of a specially trained team of professionals. The team includes lawyers, of course, but also specially trained mental-health and financial professionals, who can work together to help a couple understand what matters most to them and create solutions that are going to work for every member of the family after the divorce, including the children.

Pauline H. Tesler is a Certified Family Law Specialist with Tesler, Sandmann & Fishman in San Francisco and Mill Valley, CA. She is also a pioneer in Collaborative Divorce and devotes her practice exclusively to the collaborative model. Tesler is a co-founder of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the author of two books on Collaborative Divorce. She can be reached at (415) 383-5671.