Christopher Arnold

The destination is a family restructured into two households as efficiently as possible. The journey involves defining and exploring the particular set of issues in your separation or divorce and building creative solutions to those issues. I will accompany and guide you on that delicate and complicated journey. If I do my work properly, I believe you and your spouse have the best chance to get to that destination with the greatest efficiency, by way of a process that maximizes your control and your privacy, promotes respect, functional communication, and minimizes the conflict. This is the journey that best protects any children involved and your continuing parenting relationship. I bring all my experience to support and guide you at each stage of this revolutionary process.

My more than 30 years of family law experience helps me give you a real grasp of the legal issues from both a practical and strategic perspective. More than 24 years of experience with this process enables me to coach you and help you optimize your ability to communicate all of your important needs, while creating and managing an optimal bargaining environment, so you have the best negotiation possible.

l am proud to count myself among those who helped launch and establish Collaborative Practice in Ottawa back in 2001, and I spent two years as the President of the local group. I also spent 8 years on the Board, three of those as President, of the Ontario Collaborative Law Federation (now re-branded to Ontario Academy of Collaborative Professionals) connecting and representing hundreds of collaborative professionals across Ontario. I created and taught a course in the Collaborative process at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law – one of only a few in the world. I now serve on the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals Board.  I believe in and am very passionate about this process.

That said, I am willing and able to assist you in any negotiation process that may take shape between you and your spouse – because they may not wish to “do Collaborative” initially or at all. If they aren’t yet “on board” with a Collaborative process, my initial focus will be to skilfully and respectfully invite your spouse to consider joining you in this process. Ultimately, most people want what this process delivers: legal, efficient, and fair, and they want to get there in a way that doesn’t lose sight of your higher goals to retain a respectful working relationship and a loving bond with your children. Let me show you how it may work for your particular circumstances. For more about me, my practice principles, or your options, please visit www.christopherarnold.ca.

Thanks,
Chris