North Carolina Collaborative Attorneys Organize to Promote Public Awareness

GREENVILLE, N.C. - March 25, 2019 - PRLog -- For decades, divorcing couples in North Carolina had limited options for help in navigating the complexities of separation and divorce, and oftentimes found their families trapped in an adversarial litigation process.  The financial and emotional impact of this has been devastating to these couples, their children and the community.  However, in the late 1990's, a handful of NC attorneys began representing spouses in the collaborative divorce process, a form of alternative dispute resolution which strives for clear communication, empowerment and more control of the outcome for the parties who choose to use the model.

Attorneys who want to represent folks in the collaborative divorce process seek training which enables them to help divorcing couples preserve their relationship post-divorce and to foster an environment for negotiations where divorcing couples could continue to co-parent more effectively.  In 2003, the NC state legislature passed a bill recognizing collaborative divorce proceedings as a statutory alternative to the traditional court process.

In 2017, the North Carolina Collaborative Attorney Network (NC-CAN) was created by professionals dedicated to serving families in the collaborative divorce process. NC-CAN is a non-profit entity, currently comprised of highly qualified attorneys specifically trained to represent spouses in the collaborative divorce process and committed to raising public awareness of its availability and benefits.  The collaborative divorce process has helped hundreds of North Carolina families avoid the pitfalls of traditional divorce. It uses an interest-based approach to conflict resolution that focuses on reducing acrimony, preserving the finances, maintaining family businesses, protecting the couples' co-parenting relationship, and fostering a positive environment for the children so that they can live fulfilling and successful lives.

The Founding Members of NC-CAN hail from across the state, with attorney members from Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville, and Wilmington.  To learn more about NC-CAN or collaborative divorce in general, visit the organization's website at https://nc-can.org/.