Forrest S. Mosten

Collaborative Divorce Handbook

Helping families without going to court

Praise for Collaborative Divorce Handbook

"There are many roads to peace. Whether you engage in collaborative practice, which by definition includes the provision that professionals will not represent the parties in litigation, or some other process for respectful conflict resolution, you will find Collaborative Divorce Handbook to be an invaluable resource for deepening your understanding and enhancing your skills as a peacemaker."
--Talia L. Katz, JD, executive director, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

"Collaborative lawyering is a promising new way of resolving disputes through joint problem solving rather than adversary litigation that has particular appeal for divorce cases. Whether you are a client who seeks to learn more about it or a lawyer using it who desires a wise guiding hand, this book is an invaluable resource."
--Frank E. A. Sander, Bussey Professor Emeritus, Harvard Law School

"Written by one of the innovative thinkers in the field, Collaborative Divorce Handbook is a treasure of information for all professionals interested in collaborative divorce. Easy to read, expansive, and chock-full of resources, it is bound to become a classic."
--Constance Ahrons, PhD, author, The Good Divorce and We're Still Family, and professor emerita, University of Southern California

"Family law is changing. As more people realize that the adversarial process is expensive, degrading, and stressful, they look for alternatives and find it in various forms of alternative dispute resolution. Woody Mosten is the nationally recognized leader of this movement, and his book on collaborative practice literally will be 'The Handbook' we will all follow."
--Garrett C. Dailey, Esq., CFLS, AAML, president, Attorney's BriefCase, Inc.

In this definitive guide, Forrest Mosten--an internationally recognized mediation expert--helps would-be mediators answer the critical question "Do I have the values, skills, personality, and commitment necessary to mediate?"
A comprehensive resource, the book also explores a wealth of timely topics including the need to establish standards of the profession, how to maintain confidentiality, the pros and cons of co-mediation, and the place of mediation in the process of court and law reform. Straightforward and reader-friendly, the Mediation Career Guide is filled with practice tips, self-surveys, diagrams, reading resources, a list of training programs and volunteer opportunities, budget forms, and model standards of conduct. This hands-on resource is designed to make the challenging journey of becoming a peacemaker a one-step-at-a-time manageable process.