District of Columbia § 16-4014 Appropriateness of collaborative law process.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 16-4014 — Appropriateness of collaborative law process.

District of Columbia § 16-4014

Title 16Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]

Ch. 40Collaborative Law; Uniform Act.

This text of District of Columbia § 16-4014 (Appropriateness of collaborative law process.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 16-4014 (2026).

Text

Before a prospective party signs a collaborative law participation agreement, a prospective collaborative lawyer shall:

(1)Assess with the prospective party factors the lawyer reasonably believes relate to whether a collaborative law process is appropriate for the prospective party’s matter;

(2)Provide the prospective party with information that the lawyer reasonably believes is sufficient for the party to make an informed decision about the material benefits and risks of a collaborative law process as compared to the material benefits and risks of other reasonably available alternatives for resolving the proposed collaborative matter, such as litigation, mediation, arbitration, or expert evaluation; and

(3)Advise the prospective party that:

(A)If, after signing an agreement, a p

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Before a prospective party signs a collaborative law participation agreement, a prospective collaborative lawyer shall:

(1) Assess with the prospective party factors the lawyer reasonably believes relate to whether a collaborative law process is appropriate for the prospective party’s matter;

(2) Provide the prospective party with information that the lawyer reasonably believes is sufficient for the party to make an informed decision about the material benefits and risks of a collaborative law process as compared to the material benefits and risks of other reasonably available alternatives for resolving the proposed collaborative matter, such as litigation, mediation, arbitration, or expert evaluation; and

(3) Advise the prospective party that:

(A) If, after signing an agreement, a party initiates a proceeding or seeks intervention by the tribunal in a pending proceeding related to the collaborative matter, the collaborative law process terminates;

(B) Participation in a collaborative law process is voluntary and any party has the right to terminate unilaterally a collaborative law process with or without cause; and

(C) The collaborative lawyer and any lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated may not appear before the tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the collaborative matter, except as authorized by § 16-4009(c) , § 16-4010(b) , or § 16-4011(b) .