Atlanta Collaborative and Family Law Attorney

678-271-0305

Georgia Lord Gives Divorce Advice to Atlanta Women’s Network

by

At a recent meeting of the Atlanta Women’s Network, Georgia Lord was invited to present her advice to those who are going through a divorce or child custody dispute.

Child Guardians | Guardian ad LitemShe explained that women should not assume that if they divorce they will receive alimony. Nowadays, an award of alimony has become the exception, rather than the rule. Even when alimony is awarded it is usually for a very short period of time. Most judges now expect able-bodied individuals to largely support themselves after divorce, even if they have not worked outside the home in recent years. Counsel must be prepared to lay out convincing evidence regarding the relative financial and life circumstances of the parties in order to make a case for alimony. [Read more…]

Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia Selects Georgia Lord for Office

by

The Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia recently selected Georgia Lord to serve as an officer of the organization. The group (which is also known as CLIG) is an organization established to set the standards for collaborative practice within the State of Georgia. CLIG provides ongoing professional training regarding collaborative practice techniques, as well as instruction concerning how professionals can better serve families undergoing divorce or other transitions and disputes. CLIG’s officers are instrumental in educating professionals and the general public about the benefits of using the “Collaborative Process” to resolve conflict.
Georgia Lord will serve the group as its Recording Secretary. She explains that she is eager to accept this post because she strongly believes that collaborative practice can have a very positive impact in many situations. “During my years as a Family Court staff member,” she says, “I witnessed cases in which one of the parties ‘won’ their case, but did so at the expense of draining their accumulated assets to pay for the litigation – and inflicting lots of emotional wounds upon themselves and their children. Collaborative practice offers an alternative. Its methods focus on reaching a solution that works for everyone involved. The process is non-adversarial and respectful. The parties use their energy and resources to craft a plan for their future rather than spending them on refueling the litigation battle.”
Further information regarding the Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia and collaborative practice generally can be found on the CLIG website.

What is Collaborative Family Law? How is it Beneficial?

by

Divorces are often combative, stressful, unsatisfying and expensive, so why do so many people go through with them? For many it is worth the temporary pain to get on with a new life and a fresh start. But, did you know, you can get the same or better results with much less discomfort by using a collaborative approach to divorce? In the 1990s a group of Minnesota law attorneys wanted to find a more straightforward and even handed way to approach a divorce.  They came up with the collaborative law process which many people throughout the country use as an alternative process to a standard divorce.

Collaborative family law may sound complicated but the concept is fairly simple.

The couple makes a commitment to resolve all of their support, custody, and property issues through negotiation.

It has many benefits over a standard divorce like:

  • collaborative divorce georgia lordIn a normal divorce you are leaving all the decision making power in the courts hands. They may have an unbiased perspective but most people would rather leave their fate in their own hands when possible. If you can work together with your spouse, you can come away with much better results while working together than you ever could in a divorce court.
  • If there are children involved, a collaborative approach is much healthier for them. Children notice a lot more than people give them credit for and if they see their parents constantly at each others throat it causes stress. Also, if one parent tries to use the children against the other then it can end up permanently damaging their relationship with their children. In a collaborative divorce, no one is backstabbing or fighting. Instead the children just see their parents discussing their issues and coming to a common understanding.
  • It is less stressful on the couple getting divorced. Most of the horror stories told about divorce come from the constant infighting for custody, money and possessions. Since you will be working together in a collaborative divorce, there is much less stress and hurt feelings.