In my own divorce some 26 years ago, my husband and I worked it out ourselves and then my lawyer took me to Court to enter the paperwork. It was dreadfully painful for us but we accomplished this dreadful task without any degrading mean-spiritedness. Each of us walked away knowing we had honored the love which once existed between us, though we might not have felt that love at the end of our marriage.

In 1985, I became a lawyer and learned my profession at the feet of one of the acknowledged finest litigators in the State of Texas. I have seen the destruction of economic and emotional lives brought about by the litigation process because I have been a participant in that process.

I believe with all my heart and soul that Collaborative Law is the better way because it allows people to do what my husband and I did 26 years ago, to walk away with personal dignity and respect for the other spouse with an agreement each party can remain faithful to because each party knowingly participated in its formation.

I have been a litigator for 19 years and I learned at the feet of the “diva” of litigation. As long as my clients demand litigation as their resolution method of choice, I will be litigating. However, in most cases, I do not believe that expending the equivalent of the cost of a child’s college education or a significant portion of one’s retirement account on litigation is a reasonable way to resolve family conflict. Even if one “wins” and, therefore, counts the money well-spent, neither party nor the children ever recover from the emotional scarring.

For that reason, I have become dedicated to the purest practice of Collaborative Law possible, incorporating, where appropriate, neutral experts in the fields of communication, mental health, child development, counseling, including religious counselors, financial experts, both forensic and educational, and others to assist the parties in overcoming the pain and the obstacles which pain and fear interject into negotiations.