It was a legally significant and historical day this morning!! I attended court this morning for a divorce by way of a Joint Petition. It was the first case in Malaysia using the Collaborative Law Process! A new form of Alternative Dispute Resolution introduced in November 2018.
Collaborative lawyers are different from mediation lawyers in that they are advocates, not neutrals. Lawyers learn constructive, family-friendly methods of helping clients advocate and prioritise their needs in a dignified and respectful manner. The Children are in the centre of the process.
Benefits of using this process include: A high level of control over the process by the parties, a high level of privacy and confidentiality, creative ideas for settlement, focus on children on post-divorce relationships and a richer mix of professional input and guidance.
It has been 4 years since the first batch of Collaborative professionals were trained. This is the third training where 22 more Collaborative professionals comprising lawyers (from West Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak), mental health professionals (from Klang valley and Penang) and 1 more financial professional will soon join our growing eco-system of peace-making professionals!
