Carrie Patterson

I first learned about the collaborative process while I was in law school volunteering with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society at George Mason University School of Law. Prior to graduating, I hosted a seminar on behalf of our organization for the Northern Virginia Collaborative Professionals and was lucky enough to be able to attend the seminar as a host.

I recall being impressed by the framework offered by the collaborative method and was instantly attracted to the motivation and eagerness of the lawyers who wanted to bring more of it into their practices. After graduation, I went into practice as a family lawyer and have practiced exclusively in the area ever since. As a practitioner, I have litigated many contentious family law cases and believe that many, if not all, would have benefited from the collaborative process. I became a trained Collaborative lawyer in 2013. Like many other collaborative professionals, I recommend the model to all of my clients and devote time and energy to teaching clients about it and encouraging them to consider it as an alternative to litigation whenever possible.