Virginia Passes the Uniform Collaborative Law Act

Great news for the Virginia family law community. On February 17, 2021, the Virginia Senate passed the Uniform Collaborative Law Act (UCLA). The passage of the UCLA adds Virginia to the list of 20 states and the District of Columbia on the forefront of this cutting-edge process in family law.  The bill (HB 1852) is expected to be signed by Gov. Ralph Northam (D) by the end of March.

Collaborative Law is a form of alternative dispute resolution that allows separating and divorcing couples to resolve issues of custody, support, division of property with the help of an interdisciplinary team, including each party’s own attorney advocate. The team works together in a transparent and non-adversarial setting that puts the children first and focuses on positive outcomes for the entire family.

FTLF family law attorneys Emily Baker, Marina Barannik, Jonathan Dana, Jennifer Davison, and Sarah Zimmerman are collaboratively trained and highly skilled in representing clients who choose the Collaborative Law process to resolve issues related to their separation and divorce.

Members of the FTLF Family Law Group are also active in the Collaborative Law community. Partner Sarah Zimmerman is the President of the DC Academy of Collaborative Professionals (DCACP) and Emily Baker was on the task force committee that spearheaded the enactment of the UCLA in Virginia.

For more information on Collaborative Law please contact one of our collaborative trained attorneys or click here to learn more.