Collaborative Law is a private, confidential and cooperative practice which utilizes specially trained attorneys to reach a fair resolution good for the whole family. The attorneys and other professionals, who may be called upon such as skilled financial experts and coaches, commit to resolve a conflict using a cooperative rather than an adversarial approach. In the Bay Area, San Francisco collaborative law practice allows the parties to avoid going to court while still retaining the advantages of advocacy provided by their respective attorneys. The collaborative divorce practice approach works best when the parties and their collaborative attorneys in San Francisco and the Bay Area are committed to honesty, cooperation, professionalism, compassion, and integrity.

Ms. Holley has been a Collaborative Attorney who served as an advocate for one party while a separate collaborative lawyer represents the other party. She uses her communication and listening skills to ensure everyone is fully heard and the concerns of all involved, including the children in child custody matters are understood and respected. Everyone agrees in writing that the matter will be resolved outside of court. The Collaborative method provides fair and equitable results for all parties involved and protects the children in divorcing families.

The difference between mediation and collaborative law is that in mediation, Ms. Holley is an impartial expert helping to frame and create solutions in the interests of both parties and the children, while in collaborative law, she is an advocate for her client as well as the family, working in concert with the other party and his/her attorney and any other professional team members to reach an equitable settlement between the parties. In her role as an advocate for the family, Ms. Holley also ensures that the children are protected with a parenting plan designed to include the best interests of the children.

Ms. Holley represents couples and their families in San Francisco and the surrounding areas and helps solve their personal matters by using collaborative family law divorce techniques. As a San Francisco divorce lawyer, family lawyer, divorce mediator, child custody mediator, and Licensed Family Therapist (retired), Ms. Holley uses her vast experience of solving more than 2,000 matters to provide a peaceful and amicable approach to family law.

Collaborative Law Advantages and Potential Drawbacks: