THE STEPS TO JOINING CFLCW:
Register for 2023 Building Blocks – required of all Practitioner and Associate Members.
Complete the online Application – Practitioner or Associate
Pay the one time Enrollment Fee – before the Building Blocks session, or email us for installments.
Membership in the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. (CFLCW) provides family law attorneys, mental health professionals and financial advisors with the resources, training and support to develop and grow a collaborative practice. The Collaborative Process involves several professional disciplines with different degrees of intensity of service and subject matter expertise. Our membership recognizes the unique and valuable contributions of every member regardless of category and seeks to include all who share our commitment to the process.
In 2023 the CFLCW Board of Directors adopted the CFLCW Ethics & Standards of Practice. It outlines what is expected of CFLCW members. There are educational, licensure and training requirements.
There are three types of Membership – Practitioner, Associate and Emeritus. The existing Affiliate Membership category is being revised for 2024 as the Affiliate Sponsorship. You can read more about the Affiliate Program at this link.
Practitioner Membership is for those legal, mental health and financial services professionals who will be directly involved in the Collaborative Team upon which the process is based. Therefore, maintaining a distinctive level of training, professional standing and ongoing development is critical given this direct client interface. The requirements for Practitioner Membership are:
- Attend the Building Blocks of Collaborative Practice or an equivalent approved collaborative family law training and participate in the 5 Collaborative Academy continuing education sessions held in your first year. The 2023 edition of Building Blocks is scheduled for August 16 & 17, 2023. More Info Here.
- Maintain any required professional license to practice in Wisconsin and be in good standing within your profession (attorneys must be in good standing with the State Bar of Wisconsin);
- Adhere to the principles and guidelines of collaborative family law as prescribed by the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin; and
- Maintain professional liability insurance coverage as required by your license or professional organization.
In 2023, the CFLCW Board of Directors adopted the CFLCW Ethics & Standards of Practice which outlines the expectations of members and the academic and licensure requirements for Practitioners. You are urged to review those standards at this link before submitting your application.
To become a Collaborative Practitioner or Associate member, you must meet the following academic requirements:
Attorneys: Licensed attorney in the State of Wisconsin
Financial Professionals:
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA)
Chartered Financial Account (ChFC)
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Please click here to complete a Practitioner Membership Application
Associate Members serve in an advisory role to the client and client team in a limited and defined capacity. An example of a Associate may be an attorney serving as a estate planner, or a psychologist with specialization in child therapy assisting the child during and following the divorce. Associate members do not serve as one of the primary client team members and have chosen to provide these limited and defined services. CFLCW Practitioner members are regularly notified of Associate Members and are expected to refer to and engage Associate Members in their Collaborative Practice. You can read more about the new Associate category here.
Please click here to complete an Associate Membership Application
Emeritus Membership is available for those Practitioner & Associate Members that have retired from practice and wish to remain connected to CFLCW and their colleagues. Emeritus Members will receive notices of CFLCW professional and social events, and there is no cost associated with the membership. If you are interested please contact us!
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE EMAIL US