A Collaborative Process

For You, Your Family & the Future

Navigating divorce doesn't have to mean navigating a courtroom. Coastal Collaborative Colleagues offers a respectful, dignified path forward — guided by professionals who are committed to you.

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Who We Are

Southeastern North Carolina's Collaborative Divorce Professionals

Coastal Collaborative Colleagues is an interdisciplinary group of specially trained attorneys, financial specialists, and mental health professionals united by a single mission: to offer families a more humane alternative to the adversarial divorce process.

Rather than letting a courtroom determine your family's future, our members work alongside you in a client-driven process grounded in honest communication, mutual respect, and creative problem-solving. We believe the best outcomes are reached when families work together — not against each other.

As a non-profit organization, our commitment is to the wellbeing of the families we serve and to the broader community of southeastern North Carolina.

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Coastal sunset over the water — Wilmington, NC
The Collaborative Difference

What Is Collaborative Divorce?

Collaborative divorce is a structured, out-of-court process in which both parties — each represented by their own attorney — commit to reaching a fair settlement through transparent negotiation rather than litigation. It integrates legal, financial, and emotional expertise in one cohesive team.

A Pledge of Good Faith

Both parties and all professionals sign a participation agreement committing to honest, open negotiation outside of court — and agreeing that all team members are disqualified from future litigation if the process breaks down.

A Multidisciplinary Team

Your collaborative team may include attorneys, a neutral financial specialist, and a mental health professional — each contributing specialized expertise to help your family reach a well-rounded, durable agreement.

Children First

One of the defining principles of collaborative practice is protecting children from emotional harm. Child specialists give your children a voice in the process and help parents build an effective co-parenting foundation for the future.

The Four Pillars of Collaborative Practice

1
A Pledge Contract

Both parties commit in writing to resolve all disputes outside of court through negotiated agreement.

2
Full Transparency

All relevant financial and personal information is shared voluntarily, eliminating costly formal discovery.

3
Interest-Based Resolution

Agreements are designed around the real needs of all family members — not winning arguments.

4
Professional Accountability

All team members are disqualified from participating in any future litigation, keeping focus on settlement.

Doing Divorce Differently

Because how you end a marriage shapes how your family begins its next chapter.

Why It Matters

The Case for Collaboration

Litigation can be unpredictable, costly, and damaging — especially for children. Collaborative divorce offers a fundamentally different experience.

01

You Stay in Control

Rather than a judge making decisions about your family, you and your spouse — with professional guidance — reach your own agreements at your own pace.

02

Less Costly, Less Adversarial

By eliminating formal discovery and litigation, collaborative divorce typically costs significantly less than contested court proceedings — and preserves more of your family's assets.

03

Private & Confidential

Court proceedings are public record. Collaborative negotiations are private, protecting your family's sensitive financial and personal information.

04

Better for Your Children

Children thrive when their parents can co-parent respectfully. The collaborative process actively supports healthy co-parenting relationships from the very start.

05

Expert Support at Every Stage

Your team may include a financial specialist to address complex asset and support questions and a collaborative coach to help manage emotional dynamics as they arise.

06

Durable Agreements

Agreements that both parties have shaped tend to be more comprehensive, more durable, and less likely to require future court intervention.

The Process

How to Get Started

The collaborative process is structured but flexible, designed to move at a pace that works for your family.

Step One

Start the Conversation

Discuss the collaborative option with your spouse. You don't need to be in full agreement yet — simply open to exploring a more constructive path. Even if legal proceedings have already begun, North Carolina law allows the court to pause the case while collaborative negotiations proceed.

Step Two

Schedule a Consultation

Contact one of our attorneys to schedule an initial consultation. Each spouse will work with their own collaborative attorney, who will help identify which additional professionals — financial or mental health — may benefit your process.

Step Three

Your Team Forms & Work Begins

Once both attorneys are retained and the participation agreement is signed, your collaborative team assembles. From there, a series of structured sessions guides you toward a comprehensive settlement — one your whole family can move forward from.

Our Members

Meet Our Team

Coastal Collaborative Colleagues brings together an exceptional group of Wilmington-area professionals — each independently licensed, each specially trained in collaborative practice, and each committed to your family's wellbeing.

Collaborative Attorneys

Each party in the collaborative process is represented by their own attorney. Our attorneys are specially trained in the collaborative model — their role is to educate and counsel their client, guide interest-based negotiation, manage conflict constructively, and assist in implementing a final agreement. While each client maintains a private and confidential relationship with their attorney, all counsel work together toward a shared resolution.

Name Phone Email
Melissa D. WrightMelissa Wright Mediations (910) 338-0531 mwright@mwm.law
Christine FarrellMulligan Attorneys, PLLC (910) 763-1100 info@mulliganattorneys.com
Melissa GottThe Law Group (910) 634-3065 melissa@lawgroupnc.com
Virginia R. HagerHager Law Office, P.C. (910) 726-3607 virginia@hagerlawoffice.com
Emily JonesBurney & Jones, PLLC (910) 762-7771 Emily.BurneyJonesLaw@gmail.com
Lonnie P. MerrittPrivate Practice (910) 297-6508 lonniepmerritt@gmail.com
Ashley MichaelMichael & Russell, PLLC (910) 255-5722 ashley@michaelandrussell.com

Financial Specialists

Financial specialists provide neutral financial analysis to help both parties make informed decisions about property division, spousal support, child support, and long-term financial planning. They work with each party individually and together — gathering and organizing financial information, modeling outcomes, and addressing complex matters such as retirement accounts, tax implications, and estate planning. Their unbiased perspective helps families reach financially sound agreements.

Name Phone Email
Ashley DoyleCFP® · Lumina Wealth Management (910) 599-9409 adoyle@luminawm.com
Becky P. O'DaniellCPA, CVA/ABV, CFE · CapVal–American Business Appraisers (910) 231-0250 bodaniell@capval-llc.com

Child Specialists

Child specialists are licensed mental health professionals with specialized training in working with children and families during separation and divorce. They meet privately with each child to give them a safe space to express their feelings and concerns. That voice then informs the co-parenting plan that the team develops together. If a child is already working with a therapist, the child specialist can coordinate with that professional to ensure continuity of care. Their presence is one of the most meaningful ways the collaborative process protects children's emotional wellbeing.

Name Phone Email
Shelley ChambersMSW, LCSW · Potentials, LLC (910) 254-4545 schamberslcsw@gmail.com
Denise ScearceMSW, LCSW · Coastal Care Counseling (910) 218-9553 info@coastalcarecounselingnc.com

Advisors & Collaborative Coaches

Collaborative coaches and co-parenting advisors are licensed mental health professionals who work with one or both parties to navigate the emotional dimensions of separation. Their role is not therapeutic, but practical: helping clients develop the communication skills and emotional resilience needed to engage productively in collaborative sessions and to co-parent effectively afterward. For parties without children, a collaborative coach can support emotional processing and help clients stay focused on constructive outcomes throughout the process.

Name Phone Email
Shelley ChambersMSW, LCSW · Potentials, LLC (910) 254-4545 schamberslcsw@gmail.com
Denise ScearceMSW, LCSW · Coastal Care Counseling (910) 218-9553 info@coastalcarecounselingnc.com
Take the First Step

Ready to Begin?

Every family's situation is different. Reach out to any member of our team to schedule an initial consultation and explore whether collaborative divorce is the right path for you.

01

Have the Conversation

  • Talk with your spouse about exploring the collaborative approach
  • Full agreement isn't required at this stage — only openness
  • If litigation has begun, NC law allows it to be paused to begin collaborative negotiations
02

Meet with an Attorney

  • Contact any of our attorneys to schedule a consultation
  • Each spouse selects their own collaborative attorney
  • Your attorney will identify which specialists may benefit your case
03

Your Team Assembles

  • All parties sign the participation agreement
  • Your collaborative team forms around your family's specific needs
  • Structured sessions guide you to a comprehensive, lasting agreement
Contact Our Team