Document Actions
|
|
1337 St. Clair Avenue
St. Paul,
Minnesota
55105
Phone: 651-698-0470
Fax: 651-698-0169
|
Who I Am
I am a Collaborative Attorney and Family Mediator living and working in St. Paul, Minnesota. I celebrate my 21th Anniversary working on Family Law cases in January 2006.
My Mission and Philosophy
I am interested personally and professionally in peaceful non-violent conflict resolution. My focus is on collaborative law and family mediation. As a mother and grandmother, I care deeply about all children. I believe in the importance of family, regardless of how the family is structured. Those who think that divorce is only a legal issue have not been through the experience or studied it in depth. Divorce (and any separation of a relationship, especially long-term ones) is one of the most difficult life passages and is a time that people need more than legal advice. I will help you find resources that help you emotionally, and support your making good decisions about your children and your finances.
I believe people can resolve their family issues with respect and fairness and I want to help them find solutions in a cost-effective way. Providing information to you about collaborative law and my practice through this web site is one way I help you save on my fees.
I have a special interest in cases where people want to settle issues respectfully but face barriers such as past histories of chemical abuse, domestic abuse, or other issues that involve power imbalances or other dysfunction. My experience is that even with such backgrounds, people who in good faith want to preserve good relationships with other family members can be helped to do so. That is why my focus is on collaborative law and family mediation instead of trial practice.
Experience
I have been a self-employed family law attorney in St. Paul since 1985, a family mediator since 1993, and am now a collaborative attorney. My work focuses exclusively on helping people resolve family law issues.
In 1997, I co-founded Family Matters, Ltd., (See family-matters.com) an interdisciplinary group of professionals who work together in helping clients resolve their cases with respect and care for each other and for all family members.
Education
B.S. cum laude, Univ. of Wisconsin-River Falls, Economics & Business, 1975; J.D. cum laude, Wm. Mitchell College of Law, January 1985. Certified Family Mediation Training 1993 & 1997. 32 hours of Collaborative Law Training.
Approach
As a grandmother, I understand the needs and vulnerabilities of children. I believe that non-violent solutions exist for all disputes, including global and family ones. I believe most people want to resolve family issues with respect and fairness and can do so if the professionals involved support them in this. My work has confirmed this belief. I have a special interest in cases in which people want to resolve issues respectfully but face barriers such as past abuse, chemical dependency, power imbalances, or other issues that make peaceful resolution more problematic.
Office & Hours
My office is 4 miles from downtown St. Paul and 8 miles from downtown Mpls. I offer flexible hours.
Solving Your Problems with Collaborative Law
Collaborative law is a way of practicing law whereby the attorneys for both of the parties in a family dispute agree to assist them in resolving conflict using cooperative strategies rather than adversarial techniques and litigation. Early nonadversarial participation by the attorneys allows them to use attributes of good lawyering not greatly utilized in the usual adversarial proceedings, namely use of analysis and reasoning to solve problems, generation of options, and creation of a positive context for settlement. Collaborative law allows the parties to work through their disputes in a nonadversarial way.
How does it work?
Collaborative Practice is a new process in which a divorcing couple, together with trained professionals, works as a team to resolve disputes respectfully without going to court. The term encompasses all of the models that have been developed since Minnesota lawyer Stu Webb created the Collaborative Law model in the 1980s, which is at the heart of all of Collaborative Practice. Each client has the protection and guidance of his or her own lawyer. The lawyers and the clients together comprise the Collaborative Law component of Collaborative Practice. While collaborative lawyers are always a part of the process, some models offer clients the option of starting their divorce with divorce coaches, child specialists or financial experts. This gives clients the opportunity to start where they feel most comfortable.
Although Collaborative Practice comes in many forms, the process is distinguished from traditional litigation by its inviolable core elements: a contractual commitment among the clients and their chosen professional practitioners to a) negotiating a mutually acceptable settlement without using the court system to decide any issues for the clients b) withdrawal of the professionals should either client resort to the court system, c) engaging in open communication and information sharing, and d) creating shared solutions that take into account the highest priorities and interests of both parties.
What is the underlying philosophy?
Something everyone should agree on: respect.
It is simply a fact that about half of all marriages end in divorce, and countless non-marital relationships fail, too. But the emotional devastation that often accompanies the loss of a relationship doesn't have to be a fact as well. That is the thinking behind Collaborative Practice.
Long-sought by divorcing individuals and other concerned professionals who assist them, Collaborative Practice is the alternative to “divorce as usual”. It is designed to minimize the hurt, the loss of self esteem, the anger and alienation that occur too frequently with divorce.
The Collaborative Law philosophy is built on a belief in human dignity and respect. Individuals may cease being partners, but they don't cease being worthy human beings. Every part of Collaborative Practice—from open communications to solutions-based negotiation to out-of-court settlement—is intended to foster respect. When respect is given and received, self esteem is likely to be preserved, making discussions more productive and an agreement more easily reached.
The end of a marriage or relationship is tragic enough. Collaborative Practice believes that the process of divorcing shouldn't add to the pain, but rather help the spouses and children foresee a hopeful future.
Is Collaborative Practice for You?
I have a good question and answer article provided by the American Bar Association (with permission) which may help you decide.
Here are the ground rules of Collaborative Practice.
Here are suggestions for effective negotiations in collaborative law.
Please email us or visit our website for additional information.
