settlement

September 30, 2019

What are the Differences between Mediation and Collaborative Divorce?

When starting the divorce process, understanding the difference between the available process choices can help create the healthiest environment for the process to proceed. In addition to a traditional adversarial courtroom process, mediation and collaborative divorce each provide a process that focuses less on confrontation and more on an optimal result for both parties. While both mediation and collaborative divorce are non-adversarial, they each have key differences that should be considered when choosing the right process for your divorce. Continue Reading

October 6, 2016

Collaborative Law 101: Why Should You Choose Collaborative Law?

by Deborah Hope Wayne

My practice is founded on the premise that most people want to resolve their family law matter without going to court. The consequences of a litigated divorce can be unintended and destructive to the parties’ lives and the children. The collaborative law separation and divorce focuses on settlement with the whole family in mind. Lawyers advocate for their client by helping their clients to have a voice in the process with a focus towards reasonable, practical solutions. While most litigated cases settle, it is the path to settlement that can take a toll on the family. In the first installment of Collaborative Law 101, I discussed five key features of the collaborative law process. After reading, you may still be trying to decide whether the collaborative process is the right choice. While the introductory post on Collaborative Law gives you a sense of what collaborative law really means, in this post, I’ve focused in one some key reasons that collaborative law is a wise choice. Continue Reading

October 18, 2015

Prenup Durability and the Importance of Independent Counsel: The Ken Griffin Divorce Case

by Deborah Hope Wayne

Ken Griffin, considered Illinois’ richest man and worth billions, has recently settled his divorce case right as the trial over his prenuptial agreement was set to begin. Griffin and his estranged wife have been in a divorce battle for over a year. The main issue was the validity of a prenuptial agreement the couple had executed.

Although the final prenuptial agreement was not signed until the day before the couple’s wedding, the court ruled that the agreement is valid. This case is a great example of how hard it is to challenge the validity of a prenuptial agreement. The court will look at many factors in making the determination. Continue Reading