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COLLABORATIVE FAMILY LAW WORKSHOPS
I began my legal career 27 years ago as an associate in a litigation firm. I left the firm two years later to begin a solo domestic relations practice. It soon became clear to me that the courtroom should be the last alternative for families under stress. As a result, in 1987 I added mediation to my practice and began to focus my energies on alternative dispute resolution. Interested in the formal study of negotiation, I attended the Harvard Law School Summer Program on Advanced Negotiation Skills.
In 1997, when I was first presented with the concept of Collaborative Law, I had a number of reservations. I was primarily concerned with an approach that would result in my “abandoning” a client at his or her time of need. As I reached a deeper understanding of the power of the process, I realized that the benefits of the process outweigh the risks of impasse. As a result, a significant portion of my legal practice now consists of Collaborative Law/Collaborative Practice. In some cases, only lawyers are involved. In other cases, associated professionals (mental health/financial planners) play a role as needed. I continue to provide mediation services and continue to litigate a small number of cases. More information about my legal/mediation practice can be found at www.slovinlaw.com.
I have provided trainings in Collaborative Family Law/Collaborative Practice since 2001. My trainings are primarily lawyer/skills focused. While divorce is clearly a multi-dimensional experience for families, and the emotional, psychological, legal, financial, and parenting components must be acknowledged and where possible, addressed, I believe that lawyer competence in the process is critical. Those interested in the role of financial planners, coaches and child specialists often attend my workshops in order to understand the process and the roles each can play in the process, but the introductory workshop does not provide a core competence level for other professionals. The ideal introductory workshop is two days. Two days allows the participants to experience role-plays and process the paradigm shift necessary to internalize the concepts. The Basic Introductory training outline and information on the follow-up training, Negotiation for Collaborative Practice, is provided on this website.
I am a founding member of the Collaborative Family Lawyers of Cincinnati www.collablaw.com/cincinnati) and am its past Chairperson. I currently serve on the Board of International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) (http://www.collaborativepractice.com.)
I have received the highest Martindale Hubbell peer review rating (AV) and have been selected by my peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in both the Family Lawyer and Family Mediator categories. Additionally, I am included in Ohio Superlawyers, listed in Superlawers Top 50 Female Lawyers in Ohio and Top 25 Female Lawyers in Cincinnati. I am a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, American Bar Association and Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). Please email me at sgslovin@slovinlaw.com with questions about Collaborative Workshops.
** I am a collaborative practice trainer. I have reviewed the IACP recommended standards for trainers and trainings and verify that my trainings meet those standards.
