attorney at law

Collaborative Law Attorney

Family law and other civil disputes are disruptive, stressful and potentially expensive to resolve. Collaborative law is a dispute resolution model that aims to minimize all of these elements by replacing the threat of litigation with a commitment by both sides to work together to reach a solution outside of court.

I am Cumming attorney Kathryn Hedden. I provide collaborative law services for clients in metro Atlanta. I am a member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia and the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. I also help run the North Georgia Collaborative Law Network. As your attorney, I will focus on solutions and not on the fight.

Under the collaborative law process, both parties are represented by lawyers who are specially trained in conflict resolution. Both sides agree to disclose all documents and information that relates to the issues. In many cases, additional specialists such as family counselors, accountants and psychologists are called in to provide additional information and assist in the process.

How Collaborative Law Works

During negotiations, each side has access to legal advice and advocacy. The lawyers are present to protect their clients' rights and lead the way toward solutions. The objective is to negotiate in a setting where no one feels uninformed or incapable of actively participating in the negotiation on an equal basis.

If the parties are unable to reach agreement and either party elects to halt the collaborative process and proceed to litigation, both attorneys must end their participation in the case. This encourages the parties to focus on finding a solution and not on the disagreement.

The Collaborative Law Process Works For Both Family Matters And Civil Disputes

At Hedden Law, I provide collaborative law services for both domestic and civil disputes. My first training in collaborative law was in the area of family law in 1993. In 2008, I received advanced training in civil collaborative law. Since then, I have been working to grow the practice of collaborative law in Forsyth County by encouraging more professionals to obtain training in this area.

For More Information About Collaborative Law

If you are onboard with resolving your dispute more amicably and reaping all of the benefits that result from that, I encourage you to call or email me to schedule a consultation. I can answer your questions and assess whether your case is a good fit for the collaborative process. I work with clients throughout North Georgia from my office in Cumming.