Collaborative law (also called collaborative practice, collaborative divorce, and collaborative family law) was originally a divorce procedure in which the two parties agreed that they would not go to court, or threaten to do so. It has expanded significantly since then.
Collaborative law is a voluntary dispute resolution process that does not involve the courts. It is a process that is based on facilitative principles, such as mediation, but is distinct from mediation in that the parties are represented by their own lawyers who facilitate the discussion in accordance with an agreement.