As divorcing couples who have gone to court can attest, the fight over custody rights and assets can be more painful than the break-up itself. Children and parents often emerge deeply scarred by the acrimonious exchanges that the process brings.
So when Robyn Ross' marriage to her businessman husband ended in 2002, the Canadian make-up artist cast about for an alternative to avoid the emotional damage that a legal contest would likely bring her daughter, Sienna.
That's when she stumbled on collaborative practice (CP) - a relatively new option that seeks to resolve issues in a divorce amicably.
The approach has worked well for Vancouver-based Ross and her ex-husband. 'If we went to court, it would have got ugly and we would never talk to each other again. After CP, we remain good friends,' Ross says. 'He and his new wife have a child and sometimes I look after our daughter and their child together.'
Now, estranged couples in Hong Kong can also turn to collaborative practice to seek a more cordial end to their marriage. Although it originated in the US in the 1990s, CP was only introduced to the city last year. The Hong Kong Collaborative Practice Group gathers 40 solicitors, barristers, financial consultants, psychologists and mediators who are trained in the process.
Family lawyer Winnie Chow Weng-yee is among the people leading the drive for collaborative practice. A partner in the firm of Hampton, Winter and Glynn, Chow believes that CP is a much better option than litigation that typically comes with exorbitant bills and tends to be a drawn-out affair.