Collaboration leads to healing, not combat

Collaborative law is always at the front of our minds, but we’re seeing that the rest of the world is starting to follow suit too. More people are thinking about collaborative law’s benefits as an alternative to court, including Toronto Star’s Peter Small, who recently wrote an article about the movement towards a less combative form of law. He reported on a workshop held at the University of Toronto, which examined the growing popularity of viewing law as a way to work towards healing and to avoid hostility in the process.

“Good lawyers are fearless adversaries, smart, tough and, when need be, aggressive. Or so they’ve been taught.

But can a lawyer be a healer? Is there a better way of practicing law that leaves both counsel and client more satisfied? A growing number think so.

Forty legal professionals and students met this summer at University of Toronto law school for a Law as a Healing Profession workshop to examine the worldwide trend and discuss the challenges involved.

‘I think a critical mass is forming,’ says event co-creator Michele Leering, executive director of Community Advocacy & Legal Centre in Belleville.

Criminal, family law, civil and other lawyers have been using more humane, holistic approaches worldwide.

They come in several models, including collaborative law, problem-solving courts and restorative justice.

…Rebecca Sutton, a U of T law student who co-organized the workshop, has a background in peace and conflict studies. ‘I’m hoping to find ways of using our skills in a very different way than in the courtroom,’ she says.

Wright estimates there are 500 to 600 people in Canada practicing collaborative law — a new form of family law.

Victoria Smith, a Toronto family law practitioner and teacher of collaborative law at Osgoode Hall, works to make sure both parties in a divorce walk away with what they need without costly and time consuming litigation.

Collaborative lawyers work in teams with other professionals, typically a financial expert and, if need be, a psychologist to help divorcing couples achieve a satisfactory resolution.

‘We help our clients voice what’s important and hear what matters to the other person,’ Smith says.”

Read the entire Toronto Star article.

Looking for more information? You’ll find everything you need to know about collaborative family law here. And, if you’re looking for a collaborative professional near you, feel free to use our handy search.