D R A F T

 

FOR DISCUSSION ONLY

 

 

 

COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT

 

 

 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

 

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

 

 

 

 

MEETING IN ITS ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SEVENTEENTH YEAR

BIG SKY, MONTANA

JULY 18 - JULY 25, 2008

 

 

COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT

 

 

 

WITH PREFATORY NOTE AND COMMENTS

 

Copyright 82008

By

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

 

 

 

The ideas and conclusions set forth in this draft, including the proposed statutory language and any comments or reporter=s notes, have not been passed upon by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws or the Drafting Committee.  They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference and its Commissioners and the Drafting Committee and its Members and Reporter.  Proposed statutory language may not be used to ascertain the intent or meaning of any promulgated final statutory proposal.

 

DRAFTING COMMITTEE ON COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT

The Committee appointed by and representing the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in drafting this Act consists of the following individuals:

Peter K. Munson, 123 S. Travis St., Sherman, TX 75090, Chair

ANNETTE APPELL, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Pkwy., Box 451003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1003

Robert G. Bailey, University of Missouri-Columbia, 217 Hulston Hall, Columbia, MO 65211

Michael A. Ferry, 200 N. Broadway, Suite 950, St. Louis, MO 63102

Elizabeth Kent, Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, 417 S. King St., Room 207, Honolulu, HI 96813

Byron D. Sher, 1000 Fruitridge Rd., Placerville, CA 95667

Harry L. Tindall, 1300 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1550, Houston, TX 77056-3081

Cam Ward, 124 Newgate Rd., Alabaster, AL 35007

Andrew Schepard, Hofstra University School of Law, 121 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549-1210, Reporter°

 

EX OFFICIO

Martha Lee Walters, Oregon Supreme Court, 1163 State St., Salem, OR 97301-2563,

            President

Jack Davies, 1201 Yale Place, Unit #2004, Minneapolis, MN 55403-1961, Division Chair

 

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION ADVISOR

Carlton D. Stansbury, 10850 W. Park Pl., Suite 530, Milwaukee, WI 53224-3636, ABA Advisor

LAWRENCE R. MAXWELL, JR., Douglas Plaza, 8226 Douglas Ave., Suite 550, Dallas, TX 75225-5945, ABA Section Advisor

Charla Bizios Stevens, 900 Elm St., P.O. Box 326, Manchester, NH 03105-0326, ABA Section Advisor

Gretchen Walther, 6501 Americas Pkwy. NE, Suite 620, Albuquerque, NM 87110-8166, ABA Section Advisor

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

John A. Sebert, 111 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1010, Chicago, IL 60602, Executive Director

 

Copies of this Act may be obtained from:

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

111 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1010

Chicago, Illinois 60602

312/450-6600

www.nccusl.org

COLLABORATIVE LAW ACT

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PREFATORY NOTE. 1

SECTION 1.  SHORT TITLE. 23

SECTION 2.  DEFINITIONS. 23

SECTION 3.  COLLABORATIVE LAW PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
REQUIREMENTS. 28

SECTION 4.  BEGINNING AND TERMINATING A COLLABORATIVE LAW
PROCESS. 31

SECTION 5.  COLLABORATIVE LAW PROCESS AND PROCEEDINGS. 33

SECTION 6.  DISQUALIFICATION OF COLLABORATIVE LAWYER.. 36

SECTION 7.  DISCLOSURES CONCERNING AND APPROPRIATENESS OF COLLABORATIVE LAW PROCESS. 37

SECTION 8.  COLLABORATIVE LAW PROCESS AND LOW INCOME PARTIES. 38

Section 9.  Privilege against disclosure for collaborative law communications; admissibility; discovery. 39

Section 10.  waiver and preclusion of privilege. 42

Section 11.  exceptions to privilege. 42

SECTION 12.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF COLLABORATIVE LAW COMMUNICATION. 45

SECTION 13.  ENFORCMENT OF COLLABORATIVE LAW PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS NOT MEETING REQUIREMENTS. 45

SECTION 14.  STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND
MANDATORY REPORTING AND COLLABORATIVE LAW PROCESS. 46

SECTION 15.  UNIFORMITY OF APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION.. 47

SECTION 16.  RELATION TO ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES IN GLOBAL AND NATIONAL COMMERCE ACT  47

[SECTION 17.  SEVERABILITY CLAUSE]