Family Lawyers and Psychologists

Family Lawyers and Psychologists

There is a large overlap between the practice and family law and mental health. Yet, there is a lack of interaction between the two professions. Collaborative divorce has done a great deal to bridge this gap, by providing an interdisciplinary model. But, collaborative divorce is not appropriate for every case. There is the beginning of an effort to expand the exchange of information between these disciplines. In December, 2005, a group of lawyers from the ABA Family Law Section and pschologists from the APA held a day long brainstorming session in Washington, exploring areas of common concern. One practical result of this meeting will be a joint ABA-APA meeting from April 30 -May 4, 2008 in Chicago. Hopefully, other practical results will occur, as well. The Wisconsin Law Journal recently printed a series of articles explaining the need for developing this relationship and hope for the future. I have posted the articles on my website at: http://www.loebherman.com/articles/herman/wlj06psychcol.pdf