Collaborative Practice is a process that helps couples settle their divorce, separation, and/or parenting matters with the help of lawyers, but without going to court. Collaborative Practice can also be used to resolve other legal matters, such as estate disputes, small business formation and dissolution, and employment issues.The No Cost Collaborative Program matches eligible clients with collaborative attorneys who will work with them in the collaborative process at no cost to the client.To determine whether you are eligible to work with a free collaborative attorney through the No Cost Collaborative Program, contact LAWNY at 607-273-3667 for help with collaborative divorce, separation, support and/or parenting issues. Clients with parenting issues only may be eligible to work with a collaborative attorney at no cost through the Tompkins County Assigned Counsel Program - call 607-272-7487 to determine eligibility. For clients interested in Collaborative Practice outside of the No Cost Collaborative Program, please contact a collaborative professional directlyIn Collaborative Practice, negotiations take place in four-way conferences between parties and their collaborative attorneys. Additional professionals, such as financial planners and family specialists, are added as needed. Each party has legal advice and advocacy during negotiations; each attorney is committed to guiding clients toward a reasonable settlement. If the collaborative process is terminated, neither of the collaborative attorneys is permitted to represent his/her client in any subsequent court proceeding against the other client.For a list of participating Collaborative Professionals, go to http://collab-law.com/participating-professionals/