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Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative Divorce is a constructive problem-solving process where each party is represented by an attorney specially trained to work with the parties to reach an agreement outside of court.

Work together to reach a positive outcome in an informal, non-adversarial, and confidential environment.

Avoid Courtroom Drama and Trauma!

At Harmony, we offer no-court alternatives to resolving your divorce issues through Collaborative Divorce.

In every divorce, there is a legal, financial and emotional aspect.  The Collaborative Divorce process brings in collaboratively trained professionals specialized in each of those areas to work together to help the clients reach an agreement outside of court.

  • Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Rights)
  • Child Support
  • Spousal Support (Alimony)
  • Asset Division
  • Debt Allocation

Collaborate To Reach The Best No-Court Solution

In the Collaborative Divorce process, settlement negotiations usually take place in four-way meetings where both parties and their attorneys are present.

Both the parties and their attorneys commit to:

  • Avoid going to court.
  • Conduct an honest, voluntary and good faith exchange of information.
  • Strive for mutually beneficial solutions that take into account the interests and priorities of each party and the children.

A team of neutral professionals, including financial advisors, accountants and mental health professionals may also be involved in order to address the legal, financial and emotional aspects of the divorce.

Most documents and information do not become a part of the public record and remain private and confidential.

Decision-making is directly in the hands of the couple involved in the divorce, not the court or attorneys.

Couples can hire and share the expense of neutral experts to determine financial and valuation issues.

Preservation of a peaceful and amicable relationship between the parties, which in turn, creates stability and a positive impact on the family.

Collaborative Divorce FAQ Help Center

Popular questions

We’ve put together a list of the most common collaborative divorce questions that Los Angeles clients will ask us during an initial consultation, regardless of the particulars of their case.

Each spouse retains their own attorney specially trained in Collaborative Divorce to represent that spouse’s interest.  These attorneys guide and are able to provide their respective clients with legal advice to help them make informed decisions during settlement negotiations.

  • Clients hold the key to their own destiny, not a Family Law Judge at the courthouse.
  • Clients can think “outside the box” and explore creative options to resolve their matter.
  • Negotiations are based on what is best for the Clients, their children and their family.
  • The process is confidential and private.
  • Clients can jointly hire experts and neutral specialists.
  • The Collaborative Divorce process addresses the past, the present and as much of the future as possible in order to minimize conflict and litigation in the future.

The Collaborative Divorce process can cost $15,000 or more, but typically costs 20%-50% less than litigation.

The Collaborative Divorce process can take a few months to several months, unlike traditional litigation which can take years due to court backlog and delays.

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Los Angeles Collaborative Divorce Lawyer

Christine Kerian professional headshot

years of family law experience

Christine Kerian

Attorney at Law/Mediator

As principal of Harmony Family Law Mediation Group with over 24 years experience exclusively in family law matters, Christine has great knowledge on how to handle and resolve complex family disputes without going to court.

Christine Kerian earned her law degree in 1997 from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Christine was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1998.

Background

Memberships and Associations

  • LACFLA: Los Angeles Consensual Dispute Resolution Family Law Association
  • Family Divorce Solutions of San Fernando Valley
  • Pasadena Collaborative Divorce
  • Virtual Divorce California
  • Collaborative Divorce California
  • IACP: International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
  • SCMA: Southern California Mediation Association
  • LACBA: Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce
  • GAMHPA: Glendale Area Mental Health Professionals Association

Client Testimonials

Below are actual client reviews about the experience you can expect from Christine Kerian. Contact her to request an appointment by calling (323) 663-1000, or completing this contact form. You can read more testimonials of Christine on Yelp, Google and AVVO.

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“Christine is both compassionate and professional and the way she guided us through this complex process made it healing and safe for us both to feel heard and valued. “
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“We went to Christine because we wanted our divorce to be civil and she made that possible by guiding us to a reasonable agreement at the end. “
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“Christine helped my wife and I transition from marriage to divorced in a dignified and graceful way. She was detail oriented, patient, organized and compassionate. “
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