Attorney Alisa Peskin-Shepherd is the founder of Transitions Legal.
By Julie Freer
Legal News
Mention divorce and most people envision an acrimonious, painful process.
Divorce may not be easy, but it can be a respectful and compassionate new start.
That's the concept behind the “Divorce With Respect” initiative, started in 2021 by Collaborative Practice California (CPCAL).
This year, Divorce With Respect Week was held March 3-9. Divorce attorney Alisa Peskin-Shepherd was one of hundreds of attorneys and professionals across the country who offered free, 30-minute divorce consultations.
Peskin-Shepherd is the founder of Transitions Legal, a divorce/family law firm that helps clients through divorce, child support, alimony, step-parent adoption, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, child custody, parenting time, property settlements, and post-judgment issues.
“I want my clients to be able to think back on that time in their lives, and be grateful that together, we got them through a difficult transition to a brighter place,” said Peskin-Shepherd.
Peskin-Shepherd earned her undergrad degree from the University of Michigan and her JD from Case Western Reserve University Law School.
"What interested me about family law when I decided that it would be my focus was the sense that I was helping people in a way that was very productive, while they were still dealing with their emotions, and I was offering the compassion and empathy that comes naturally to me in these situations," said Peskin-Shepherd. "Seeing them grow through the process is always interesting to me. That’s what I find fulfilling about it — working with people at one of the most difficult times in their life and seeing them progress through it to a point where they feel more confident and come to the realization of what is best for them."
Peskin-Shepherd has more than 30 years of experience practicing law in Michigan and is involved in several collaborative practice organizations, including the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan.
The Collaborative Divorce process is a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition to two collaboratively trained divorce attorneys, the process involves a financial professional who acts in a neutral role for both clients; a divorce coach, who is a mental health professional; and often a mortgage lender because the marital home is usually the largest asset. If needed, the professional team may also include a child specialist whose role is to be the voice of the children. All professionals must, at a minimum, have taken the Introductory Training offered annually in Michigan through the Collaborative Institute of Michigan (CPIM), and through other training groups across the country online.
Self-determination and privacy are two big benefits for clients who are avoiding court proceedings.
"You don't have the judge or an attorney telling you, 'This is how it's going to be,'" said Peskin-Shepherd. “Additionally, everything happens in the conference room with the clients present. The information disclosed, and discussions surrounding settlement stay there — what you have and how you've decided to divide your assets, and the disagreements you may have had before reaching a resolution, will not be in public records."
Lastly, there can be greater time efficiency, and cost savings.
"The time a client is paying professionals for and expending themselves is productive. For the most part, you are there when the work is being done — not 100 percent because your professional team will communicate before and after sessions. But clients are there for most of it, and for all of the decision-making" said Peskin-Shepherd, who added there's no time spent waiting in court or being engaged in adversarial discussions.
"Collaborative cases are not easy because we sit with the conflict in the room and have to work through it. The process often helps people communicate better with each other post-divorce, especially when they have children together; and it helps separating couples establish realistic expectations about how to deal with their former spouse," said Peskin-Shepherd.
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