Collaborative Divorce Orlando
Protect Your Future,
Reduce the Chaos
You may agree that your marriage is ending. That does not mean your divorce has to become a courtroom fight.
Collaborative divorce gives Orlando couples a private, strategic way to work through parenting, property, and financial decisions without handing every major choice to a judge. With the right team and structure, you can protect your children, your privacy, and your financial future without burning down the rest of your life in the process.
At Leap Frog Divorce, we help clients determine whether collaborative divorce is the right strategy for their situation and when another path may be necessary.
A Smarter Way Through Divorce
Not every case needs to become a fight. We help you explore resolution where possible—and prepare you when it’s not.
Is Collaborative Divorce Right For You?
Collaborative divorce may be a good fit if:
- You and your spouse agree the marriage is over, but you do not want the divorce to become a courtroom battle
- You want more privacy and control over parenting, property, support, and financial decisions.
- You have children and want to protect their stability while building a workable co-parenting structure.
- You want to make your own decisions instead of asking a judge to decide the most personal parts of your life
- You are worried that conflict could increase legal fees and make the divorce harder on your family
- You want to protect what you have built without burning down the rest of your life in the process
- You want a lawyer who will protect your interests without escalating conflict just to appear aggressive
- You want direct attention from a divorce-focused team that knows your name, your goals, and what you need to protect from day one
What To Know
Collaborative Divorce In Orlando
Collaborative divorce isn’t just a private handshake agreement. It’s a recognized legal process with built-in protections and clear rules for family matters, including divorce, parenting issues, property division, alimony, child support, and related disputes. The results of your divorce are just as legally binding.
01.
Each Spouse Has Their Own Attorney
Collaborative divorce is not one lawyer advising both people. Each spouse is represented by their own collaborative attorney, which helps protect both parties while keeping the process focused on resolution.
02.
Participation Agreements Are Required
Collaborative divorce requires transparency and good-faith participation. Both spouses—and both attorneys—sign a written agreement committing to resolve the case outside of court and to share information openly and in good faith. If the process breaks down, the case will need to move to another path with a new set of attorneys.
03.
Confidentiality Is Protected By Law
Communications made during the collaborative process are generally privileged and cannot be used against either spouse if the case later goes to court. That privacy can make it easier to have productive conversations about sensitive financial and family issues.
04.
Full Financial Disclosure Is Required
Florida law requires both spouses to share complete financial information, including income, assets, debts, and expenses, just as they would in a traditional divorce.
05.
Attorneys Are Only Part Of Your Team
Depending on the case, a collaborative divorce may include a neutral financial professional, a facilitator, a communication coach, a child specialist, or a business valuation professional. These professionals help organize decisions that often become expensive or emotionally charged in litigation.
Why Couples Choose Collaborative Divorce
Divorce is hard enough without adding fuel to the fire. Collaborative divorce is built around a simple idea: when two people make their own decisions about their family, the result is financially and emotionally easier than letting a stranger in a robe decide for them.
What it means for you, in practical terms:
More Privacy
The process happens in private meetings, not in a courtroom where any member of the public can be present. Your finances, your parenting disputes, and your personal life stay between you, your spouse, and your team.
More Control
In a litigated divorce, final decisions are made by a Judge who knows nothing about you or your life. In a collaborative divorce, you and your spouse reach an agreement on your own terms.
More Freedom
You start the next chapter sooner. Most collaborative divorces finish in less than 12 months, far faster than a contested case.
More Peace
Traditional divorce often fans the flames. Collaborative divorce is designed to keep conflict from derailing your settlement efforts. With the right structure, guidance, and support, many families are able to make better decisions and create more stability for you and your children.
Key Issues
Decisions That Shape a Collaborative Divorce
Parenting Plans and Time-Sharing
Child Support
Spousal Support (Alimony)
Equitable Distribution of Marital Assets and Debts
Business Valuation and Division
Long-Term Financial Planning
A Smoother Divorce Starts With the Right Attorney
Collaborative divorce is not something every family law attorney is prepared to handle well. When everything is on the line, you deserve an attorney who does one thing—divorce—and brings the training, restraint, strategy, and judgment needed to keep difficult conversations productive without letting important issues get minimized.
The right collaborative divorce attorney helps you understand what needs to be decided, what information is missing, and where you need to hold firm. They can protect your interests without turning the process into a fight.
If an attorney is too passive, you may agree to terms you do not fully understand. If an attorney is too combative, the process can break down before real progress is made.
At Leap Frog Divorce, we approach collaborative divorce with both legal strategy and conflict-resolution experience. We help Orlando clients work toward a calmer resolution while making sure parenting, financial, and long-term interests are taken seriously.
How It Works
The Collaborative Divorce Process, Step By Step
01.
Initial Consultation
We start by learning about your marriage, your spouse’s likely approach, your children, your finances, and what you most want to protect.
02.
Signing the Participation Agreement
Both spouses and both attorneys sign a written agreement committing to resolve the case outside of court, to share information openly, and to abide by the disqualification provision.
03.
Building Your Professional Team
Each spouse hires their own collaborative attorney. Together, the two of you can also bring in a neutral mental health professional, a financial professional, a divorce coach, and, if needed, a business valuation specialist. These specialists work alongside your attorneys.
04.
Information Gathering and Disclosure
Collaborative divorce depends on good information from both spouses. Your team helps gather, organize, and explain the data so everyone is working from the same set of facts. This step reduces confusion and helps everyone work from the same set of facts.
05.
Joint Negotiation Meetings
You and your spouse, supported by your teams, meet to address the issues one at a time. These meetings are structured, private, and focused on resolution.
06.
Settlement Agreement and Final Judgment
Once you reach agreement on parenting, finances, and everything in between, your attorneys draft the marital settlement agreement and file it with the court. The court enters a final judgment of dissolution, and the divorce is final.
What If The Collaborative Process Hits A Wall?
Most collaborative cases settle, but not all of them do. Sometimes a spouse becomes uncooperative. Sometimes a hidden asset turns up. Sometimes a hard issue, like relocation with the children or a contested business valuation, simply can’t be resolved at the table.
If new issues appear, the collaborative process is built to absorb them. A forensic accountant can be added to look at suspicious financial activity. A business valuation specialist can be brought in to value a closely held company. A child specialist can step in to help with parenting disputes. The team can grow to fit the case.
If one spouse stops cooperating, the team can pause, recalibrate, and try again. Sometimes added structure, a coaching session, or a private meeting with the mental health professional can help move the process forward.
If the process formally breaks down, Florida’s disqualification provision kicks in. Both collaborative attorneys must withdraw, and each spouse must hire new counsel for any litigation. This is a serious step, both financially and emotionally, and our team works hard to help you avoid it. When it does happen, we make the transition as clean as possible.
Collaborative divorce is flexible, but it is not unlimited. We are upfront about when the process is working, when it needs to be reset, and when a different strategy may be necessary, so you can make an informed call.
The Leap Frog Approach To Collaborative Divorce
We focus on family law and divorce only. No criminal cases, no personal injury, no immigration, no real estate closings on the side. Every attorney on our team is fully invested in helping people through divorce and divorce-related matters, with specific training in collaborative law, mediation, and dispute resolution.
A.J. and Kiki Grossman both earned Master of Laws from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, internationally recognized as one of the top law-school-based conflict resolution programs in the country. A.J. brings courtroom experience and Florida Supreme Court certification as a Family Mediator. Kiki brings corporate conflict resolution experience as Lead Conflict Resolution Specialist. Banda Nadeau brings her own wealth of experience as an advanced collaborative divorce practitioner and Florida Supreme Court certified Family Mediator. Together, they bring a broad and rooted understanding of both conflict and resolution to collaborative divorce cases.
Our process rests on three ideas:
Your Life, Your Divorce
We start by listening. You are not a case number here. Before any strategy, we want to know what your life looks like, what your goals are, what you need to protect, and what outcome would feel like a win for you and your family.
On Your Side
Our collaborative divorce attorneys build and execute a plan around your priorities, working with the rest of your Professional Team to resolve disputes with as little friction as possible. You get direct attention from a divorce-focused team that understands your goals from day one.
Start the Next Chapter
Our goal is to get you to the next phase of your life with confidence and stability, so you can move forward instead of looking back.
Testimonials
Legal Excellence Through Client Experiences.
Our clients’ words reflect what matters most to us: clarity, trust, and guidance through one of life’s hardest transitions.
Our Team
Meet Your Leap Frog Divorce Team
A.J. Grossman III
Attorney at Law • Certified Family Mediator
A.J. Grossman III
Attorney at Law • Certified Family Mediator
Kiki Grossman
Lead Conflict Resolution Specialist • Attorney at Law
Kiki Grossman
Lead Conflict Resolution Specialist • Attorney at Law
Banda Nadeau
Attorney at Law • Certified Family Mediator
Banda Nadeau
Attorney at Law • Certified Family Mediator
April Phillips
Litigation & Trial Paralegal • Certified Guardian Ad Litem
April Phillips
Litigation & Trial Paralegal • Certified Guardian Ad Litem
Brett Castro
FRP, Discovery Specialist
Brett Castro
FRP, Discovery Specialist
Brianna Hendricks
Legal Assistant
Brianna Hendricks
Legal Assistant
Frequently Asked Questions About Collaborative Divorce In Orlando
What is collaborative divorce?
Collaborative divorce is a structured legal process where spouses work outside of traditional litigation to resolve divorce issues with the help of trained professionals. Each spouse has their own attorney, and the team may include neutral financial, parenting, or communication professionals.
The goal is to reach a private, informed agreement without turning every issue into a court fight.
Is collaborative divorce the same as mediation?
No. Mediation is conducted by a neutral mediator who helps spouses and their lawyers negotiate and communicate. Collaborative divorce is a broader team-based process where each spouse has their own collaborative attorney and may work with additional neutral professionals.
Both can be valuable. The right choice depends on the level of disagreement, the complexity of the issues, and how much structure your situation needs.
How long does collaborative divorce take in Florida?
Cases proceed as the spouses decide, so there is no one answer to this question. That’s the beauty of the process. It is not dependent on a court calendar. Pacing depends solely on how quickly or how slowly the spouses want to progress.
Do both spouses need their own attorney?
Yes. In collaborative divorce, each spouse has their own attorney so that both people have independent legal guidance while still working toward resolution.
A shared lawyer cannot protect both spouses’ separate interests in a divorce.
Is collaborative divorce private?
Collaborative divorce is generally more private than litigated divorce because the detailed discussions happen in private meetings instead of open court. Florida law also provides confidentiality protections for collaborative law communications, with certain exceptions.
Privacy is one reason many couples choose the collaborative process, especially when financial details, parenting issues, or business interests are involved.
What if my spouse and I disagree on important issues?
Disagreement does not automatically mean collaborative divorce will fail. Many couples use the collaborative process because they have unresolved issues but want a more organized and respectful way to work through them.
The key question is whether both spouses are willing to “lean into” the discomfort of hard conversations, participate honestly, provide the necessary information, and keep working toward a resolution.
Is collaborative divorce a good fit for high-asset divorce?
It can be, depending on the spouses and the financial picture. High-asset divorce may involve business interests, real estate, investments, retirement accounts, tax issues, and long-term planning.
Collaborative divorce can give both spouses access to neutral financial professionals and valuation experts, which may help reduce confusion and create a more informed settlement process.
Can collaborative divorce work if there has been high conflict?
It can, with the right team.
Some conflict is normal in divorce. The collaborative process can help manage emotion and keep conversations structured.
However, if there is coercion, intimidation, hidden money, domestic violence, or a severe power imbalance, collaborative divorce may not be appropriate. We’ll talk through your circumstances honestly during your consultation.
Can I use AI for my divorce?
AI can be a helpful place to organize your thoughts or prepare questions, but it cannot understand the full picture of your marriage, your finances, your children, or your goals.
Be careful not to rely on AI for legal strategy or share private details in a prompt. For decisions that could affect your future, it is better to get guidance that fits your actual Florida divorce.
Take the Next Leap Forward
Talk To a Collaborative Divorce Attorney
When a relationship is ending, peace and stability matter more than ever. Collaborative divorce gives you a way to end your marriage without ending your sense of self, your privacy, or your relationship with your children.
Collaborative divorce may be the right path. It may not be. The first step is understanding your options with a divorce-focused attorney who understands you and knows the Orlando courts, judges, and system inside and out.
At Leap Frog Divorce, Orlando clients move through divorce with a process that is strategic, steady, locally informed, and built around informed decisions.
Schedule a consultation today and get clarity on your next step.
