Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice Course

intro-course

Will I be able to do collaborative practice cases upon the conclusion of this course?

This course will provide the training you need to practice in your jurisdiction.

IACP Basic Course is based on the curriculum approved by the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and is sufficient to practice collaboratively in most jurisdictions. You should check with your local practice group to determine what is required in your area.

Ontario requires more than the standard IACP curriculum. If you live in Ontario, you must take the Whole Course to practice collaboratively.

If you live outside Ontario and want a deeper dive into the process and practice your skills, you are also welcome to take the Whole Course.

The Whole Course gives you everything you need to start practicing immediately, including the practical skills necessary to succeed.

We are offering the whole course in April, both in-person and online. We are NOT offering the shorter course in April. This is an experiment. We have never offered the course in-person and online at the same time. Please be generous with your patience as we work through the technology. We have done many course in-person and many online but never attempted to offer both at the same time.

In October/November 2025, we will offer the Whole Course online using Zoom and the shorter IACP version.

Date and Registration Details:

APRIL COURSE IN OTTAWA EITHER ONLINE OR IN-PERSON

The sessions will be 9:00 AM to 5:00 pm EST on the following dates

Monday, April 7 through Friday April 11, 2025.

This course will be either in-person in Ottawa at the offices of Low Murchison Radnoff, 1545 Carling Avenue, Ottawa or on line using Zoom. You have to commit to in-person or online. You cannot do both.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ONLINE ONLY REGISTRATION NOT YET OPEN

The entire course is taught on Zoom. You choose between the Whole Course (which is necessary if you live in Ontario) or just the IACP Basic Course, which is suitable for most other jurisdictions. You should ask your practice group if the IACP Basic Course is sufficient in your area. It is 16 hours of training.

We have had several students start with the IACP Basic Course and then extend it to take the Whole Course. They saw the value in taking the additional days. It sets you up to start practicing with confidence immediately.

REGISTRATION FOR THE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER COURSES ARE NOT YET OPEN.

SAVE THE DATES:

October 20, 22, 27, 29 for IACP Basic Course.

The Whole course includes October 20 22, 27, 29 and November 3, 5, 10, 12, 17

Course Outline

The Collaborative Approach

  • Brief History
  • Stu Webb
  • Key Elements - two lawyers, disqualification clause
  • Process Overview - importance of addressing emotional, financial and legal issues
  • Different CP models - lawyer only, full team, partial team, and others
  • CP in Dispute Resolution Continuum
  • Advantages of disadvantages of different process options
  • The Participation Agreement
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Collaborative Process

The Collaborative Professionals:

  • Family Professional
    • neutral facilitator, divorce coach, process manager, parenting mediator
    • introduction to parenting plans, helping with emotional journey and focus on neutrality issues
  • Financial Professional
    • neutral financial, financial settlement projections, business and income valuator
    • introduction to divorcemate - Financial Statement, Net Family Property, support calculations, budgeting and focus on neutrality issues
  • Legal Professional
    • lawyer
    • settlement advocacy, legal advice, team work, option evaluation, documenting agreement
    • The Role of the Law
  • Introduction to Evolution/Paradigm Shifting for each professional
  • Conflict theories and models, conflict styles, power imbalances
  • Conflict resolution strategies such as principled negotiation,  interest based negotiation, insight, narrative, transformative
  • Communication, Listening Skills, Questioning
  • Emotional agility / techniques to manage strong emotions and high conflict personalities
  • Initial Consultations
  • Screening
  • Process choice
  • Process design
  • Case management
  • Interests
  • Engaging  the reluctant spouse
  • Engaging other reluctant lawyer
  • Assembling the team
  • Team preparation
  • Client preparation
  • Agenda setting
  • First meeting  considerations - potential red flags, urgent issues and dynamics
  • Progress notes
  • Financial Disclosure
  • Debrief by team
  • Introduction of legal model and role of the model - when and who
  • Further preparation and further meetings
  • Option generation and evaluation
  • Settlement and drafting of agreements
  • Terminating process (do’s and don’ts)
  • Final team debrief

Settlement Advocacy

  • Ethics
  • Neutrality and Team
  • Self Care
  • Interplay of Neutrality & Advocacy

Impasse Strategies

The Trainers: Brian Galbraith, Russell Alexander, Carrie Heinzl, Jonathan Paynter

 

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

Email us at Brian@galbraithfamilylaw.com 

Testimonials

"This team did a great job of making a 30 hour online course interesting. Their relationships and familiarity with each other set a relaxed, and comfortable tone to ask questions and engage; they were all warm, kind, relatable, and it was clear they wanted to set us up to be successful after the course ended. Highly recommend!" - Andrea Masters

"This course was the perfect combination of theory and practice. The instructors were super knowledgeable, approachable and dynamic. I finished the course feeling confident with the skills I learned to put this into practice." - Robin Sabag

"Russel, Carrie, Brian and Jonathan were absolutely amazing. Every aspect of the course was informative and engaging - never a dull moment! I particularly enjoyed the different learning styles which included power point, small group discussions in break out rooms, “fish-bowl”, jeopardy and role play through chat-GPT. Would highly recommend the course!" - Darlene Rites

"This training has started to change the way that I practice family law. I found the instructors knowledgeable, yet approachable. The fulsome precedents you receive also help immensely!" - Emily Van Looyen

"For any Social Worker's thinking about entering into Collaborative Practice, you will not regret this training! It's informative, structured to be fun and you walk away with a solid understanding and the confidence to start a career in collaborative practice." - Barb Shannon

"The course was very detailed and helped to provide a new mindset on how to deal with very complicated family law matters in a non litigious setting." - Robert John Gergely

"I recently completed the collaborative practice training course with CP Trainers and couldn't be more impressed! The course was excellent in every way—engaging, informative, and truly enjoyable. The trainers were highly knowledgeable and brought a real sense of enthusiasm and fun to each session. Their ability to make complex topics accessible and relevant while actively engaging the group made for a fantastic learning experience. Thanks to their expert guidance, I came away with valuable skills and a deeper understanding. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to develop their expertise in a supportive, dynamic environment!" - Kaela Scavo

"I stumbled upon CP Training online when I was trying to find online courses that was offering training, and I can't be more happy that I did find this course. All the trainers are exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced in collaborative, and bring a fun, energetic, and enthusiastic energy to the learning environment. I feel confident to begin practicing, and they provided lots of resources and direction for where I can reach out for guidance whenever I need it." - Todd Yaremcio

"I had an amazing time training with Russ, Carrie, Jonathan and Brian. Kudos to all of you! I can tell that you are passionate about CP and you are skilled trainers. I appreciate how the format was interactive and most of all pragmatic." - Emmanuelle Jean

"This course was a solid investment into the expansion of my practice. The instructors are all experts and qualified not just in their field of practice, but in teaching. The course is engaging and challenges us through roll play. The value is definitely there. I am so glad I made this investment. Thank you to all of you." - Annette Bourassa

"Trainers are great and very open to questions." - Amanda Martinez

"This was a great course and I would recommend taking it. If you are also tired of the fighting and yelling that is often present in litigation, the shift into collaborative practice may be what the doctor ordered. The instructors were all knowledgeable and provided great insight into the collaborative process." - Sally Madani

"The course was well-organized, offering in-depth knowledge of collaborative law principles and techniques. The CP Trainer Team's expertise and enthusiasm made the content engaging and accessible. The mix of theoretical insights and practical workshops allowed us to refine our skills in realistic scenarios. I highly recommend this training to lawyers looking to enhance their practice and help clients resolve their disputes with respect and dignity." - Gobind Grewal

"I found the course to be very informative with the benefit of having instructors that were very experienced, skilled and knowledgeable. Both the theory and the practical components of the course helped me understand a new approach to family law disputes and a new perspective towards its resolution." - Abhimanyu Rathod

"This course has been such a great learning experience. It opens doors to a family law practice that is peaceful and stress free." - Karan Sangha