Conference 2026 Day 3
Our Family Wizard on Domestic Violence – 9:00-10:15am
Domestic violence presents profound challenges within family law — affecting safety, communication, trust, and the well-being of children. This presentation from Our Family Wizard equips Collaborative Practice professionals with critical insights and practical strategies for supporting families where domestic violence or coercive control is present, while preserving the core values of safety and respect fundamental to the Collaborative model.
Attendees will explore how technology-enabled tools — including structured, secure platforms for co-parenting communication — can reduce opportunities for conflict, document interactions transparently, and support compliance with safety protocols and court orders. We’ll address the legal, psychological, and practical dimensions of working with clients impacted by domestic violence, and how to integrate these considerations into Collaborative Practice effectively.
Presented by Steven Bradley
Breaking All of the Rules: Setting the Stage to Create Collaborative Cases – 10:30am-12:00pm
Divorce doesn’t have to be a war — but all too often it feels like one. Traditional legal training teaches lawyers to prepare for battle: aggressive pleadings, positional negotiation, and litigation as the default path. What if we broke those rules and intentionally set the stage for a more humane, effective divorce process? This session challenges long-held assumptions about divorce practice and equips lawyers with a strategic framework for creating true Collaborative cases from the very beginning.
Participants will explore why traditional adversarial methods often exacerbate trauma — escalating conflict, fueling mistrust, and propelling families into drawn-out legal battles that benefit no one. We’ll contrast that model with the Collaborative Process, which emphasizes respect, transparency, and forward-looking problem-solving, and show how early choices by lawyers shape clients’ experiences and outcomes.
Presented by Adam Cordover