CLIENT SERVICES

Collaborative Family Law
Collaborative Family Law is a new option to traditional divorce litigation that allows couples to resolve disputes respectfully and equitably without going to court. The goal of collaborative family law is to help divorcing and separating couples focus on their most important goals, especially the best interest of their children, throughout the divorce process. 

Anne Wynne and Carrie Helmcamp both have extensive training in collaborative practice and offer the right balance of skills and insight to clients seeking this type of resolution.  Anne has years of experience as both a mediator and family law attorney.  She knows how to help parties understand the legal and financial issues involved in a divorce and formulate and obtain solutions which meet our client needs.  Carrie has years of courtroom experience and recognizes the real value to families of resolving their disputes in a private setting where the parties retain control of the outcome.  Most important, Anne and Carrie are parents who are sensitive to the emotional issues that arise in family law cases. 

Carrie’s recent article on Collaborative Family Law was published in the Texas Bar Journal.  There she explains the collaborative process and its advantages to clients who want to minimize the negative effects of divorce on their relationships and on their children.  Through this process, the parties can protect their family’s privacy and remain in control of the outcome when going through this difficult time. 

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Traditional Family Law
Anne Wynne, Carrie Helmcamp and Bill Ikard believe that civility and respect are important in resolving divorce and other family disputes. They have found that this approach minimizes collateral damage to children and relationships without compromising the result.  They represent clients in ways that allow them to obtain all they are entitled to without utilizing hurtful or vengeful tactics. 

Traditional Family Law allows parties to try and solve their own problems within the traditional framework. It is our experience that most of our cases do get resolved by the parties and their counsel through negotiated settlements. In the event the parties are unable to reach agreement, a judge or jury will make the decisions.  When trials do occur, they are most often tried to the court in what is known as a “bench trial” as opposed to a jury trial.  In a bench trial, evidence and testimony are presented to a judge, who makes the final decisions on the facts and law.

Prior to trial, the parties will have an opportunity to resolve their differences by agreement through the mediation process.  Anne, Carrie and Bill have participated in numerous mediations and are committed to successfully resolving their clients’ cases by mediation when necessary.

Anne, Carrie, and Bill all have extensive trial and appellate experience representing individual and business clients in disputes of all kinds. In trial practice that encompasses over a combined 50 years, they are seasoned, talented and respected trial and appellate practitioners. By virtue of this, they bring to their family law trial practice perspective, analysis and discipline uncommon in firms which specialize in this area.

From initial meetings, discovery and depositions to mediation and actual trials, our clients’ personal, emotional and financial needs remain our top priorities.

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