#132 The Divorce Model That Saves Families Time, Money and Heartbreak

What if watching your parents' destructive courtroom battle as a nine-year-old could become the catalyst for transforming how thousands of families end their marriages? For Elizabeth (Liz) Vaz, that painful childhood memory didn't just shape her. It gave her an unshakeable professional mission decades later. At 55, she still remembers every detail of how ugly it got, and how no one was looking out for the kids. In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, host David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, sits down with Liz Vaz, Collaborative divorce attorney and Lawline faculty member, to explore how she turned personal trauma into a pioneering legal practice and why collaborative divorce may be the most underutilized tool in family law today. Elizabeth's model keeps families out of the courtroom entirely. Each spouse retains their own Collaboratively trained attorney, but instead of battling before a judge, the couple works alongside a financial neutral and a mental health professional to craft their own agreement. The result is roughly a third of the cost of traditional litigation, with decisions made by the family, not a stranger in a robe who doesn't know them. She also dismantles the biggest myth surrounding Collaborative divorce: that it only works when couples already agree. Parties can be deeply at odds. The only requirement is a willingness to sit at the table. It's a reframe that opens the door far wider than most attorneys or clients realize. For Liz, this was never just a career choice. Sometimes your deepest wound points you straight toward your life's work. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:49 What Is Collaborative Divorce 03:00 Why Lawyers Should Care 07:21 Collaborative vs Mediation 08:38 Costs and Time Savings 09:45 Streamlined Fees and Tech 12:21 Origin Story and Why 14:26 Finding the Path in Law School 16:06 Starting a Practice in 2009 17:52 CLE and Skill Building 19:41 Finding Trained Professionals 23:58 Domestic Violence Focus 25:25 Books and Communication 26:54 Disney as Self Care 31:07 Teaching and Lifelong Learning 32:50 Final Takeaways and Goodbye Connect with David Schnurman (Host) -   / davidschnurman   Connect with Elizabeth Vaz (Guest) -   / vazlaw   Visit Our Website: https://www.lawline.com/podcast/lawye... Follow Lawyers Who Learn: https://linktr.ee/lawyerswholearn Lawline: https://www.lawline.com/