ACR Hawaii and the Hawaii State Bar Association ADR Section present
Collaborative Law in Hawaii: Conscious Uncoupling and More
with Lisa Jacobs, Monica Jennings, and Melissa Lindsay
Come hear about the growth of Collaborative Law locally, with the focus being implementation of Collaborative Divorce Interdisciplinary Team Practice, from the experiences and perspectives of a Collaborative Attorney (Lisa Jacobs), a Financial Neutral (Monica Jennings), and a Mental Health Professional (Melissa Lindsay). The contributions and efforts of these Collaborative Professionals and others are demonstrating that the term “Collaborative Divorce” need not be an oxymoron, but an innovative, civil method of conflict resolution. There will also be brief discussion on how the use of Collaborative Law could be expanded to handle additional types of cases beyond family law.
Presentation Objectives
- The basics of Collaborative Law, within the divorce context: What it is, how it works, and when will it work most effectively.
- How the various roles of the Collaborative Professionals provide the emotional, financial, and legal support that divorcing families need for the best and most durable outcomes.
- Ideas on broadening the use of Collaborative Law to incorporate handling additional types of disputes where the parties seek constructive, respectful resolution in order to maintain an ongoing relationship with each other.
About the Presenters
Lisa Jacobs is an attorney who has been licensed to practice law in Hawaii for the past 20 years. She found her calling as a Collaborative Attorney and Mediator and opened her own firm, called Better Way Divorce, also known as Pono Divorce, where she passionately devotes 100 percent of her practice using non-adversarial approaches to assist couples to arrive at full and sustainable agreements. Lisa is a member of the Collaborative Divorce Hawaii Practice Group, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, and the ADR, Family Law, and Hawaii Women Lawyers Sections of the Hawaii State Bar Association. She is a Mediator for the Mediation Center of the Pacific and serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Conflict Resolution – Hawaii Chapter. Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication – Print Emphasis and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Santa Clara University. In addition to speaking regularly on Collaborative Law, Lisa has also presented to groups on the topic of Compassionate, Nonviolent Communication, which she utilizes to enrich her professional and personal relationships.
Monica Y. Jennings, is a Certified Financial PlannerTM professional and NAPFA-registered financial advisor with a solo, fee-only practice. She is a member of the Collaborative Divorce Hawaii Practice Group and participates on collaborative divorce teams as a neutral financial professional. She has served on the boards and as Treasurer of the Hawaii chapter of the Financial Planning Association and The Junior League of Honolulu. Raised in Honolulu, she graduated from the University of Hawaii and obtained her MBA from The Wharton School in Philadelphia. She worked in corporate finance in New York, San Francisco and Guam before returning to Honolulu where she embarked on her second career and established Jennings Financial Planning.
Melissa Lindsay, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Kailua. She is a member of the Collaborative Divorce Hawaii Practice Group and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, and participates as a Divorce Coach and Mediator on Collaborative Divorce teams, assisting people through the difficult emotions of the process of divorcing. She also serves as a Mediator at the Mediation Center of the Pacific. Melissa obtained a 2-year Master of Counseling Degree at Arizona State University, and her doctoral degree at Forest Institute Of Professional Psychology. She has four years of specialized training in Body Psychotherapy, and is a trainer for The Radix Institute’s 2-year training program in Body Psychotherapy.
When, Where, and How to Get There
When: Friday, November 14, 2014: 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
Where: HSBA Conference Room: 1100 Alakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (Meeting room on the right side of the mezzanine level – at the top of the escalators where the floor elevators are).
Parking: Available at Alii Place building, 1099 Alakea Street. Please note that we do NOT validate parking.
Admission and Registration
Admission is FREE for ACR Hawaii members.
Hawaii Uniform Collaborative Law Act
To view or print the Hawaii Collaborative Law Act click here
PRESENTERS
