For Professionals

Qualifications for Collaborative Group Membership

The Collaborative Practice San Diego has two classes of membership: General Members and Honorary Members. General Members have equal voting and participation rights and privileges. Honorary Members do not have voting rights, and cannot hold office in the Association. They are not obligated to pay dues or assessments.

To become a General Member, an individual must:

1. Submit an application, available here on the website
2. Must be recommended by a majority vote of the Membership Committee
3. Must be approved by a majority vote of the Association membership
4. Upon approval, a new General Member must complete an initial two-day “Collaborative Divorce” training program meeting the standards set by the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).

General members are encouraged to attend and participation in all general meetings and other activities.

To remain a General Member in good standing, an individual must:

1. Attend and participate in continuing education programs with a Collaborative Practice focus presented or sanctioned by the Association
2. Attend and participate in general meetings and professional peer group meetings annually
3. Join and maintain membership in IACP
4. Maintain all licenses and certifications permitting the member to practice within the scope of his or her profession in the State of California
5. Carry professional liability insurance
6. Immediately notify the Board of Directors of a) any chance in license status including lapse, suspension, or revocation; and b) any official finding by the professional’s regulatory body of any ethical violation or disciplinary action

General Members must meet the following minimum standards specific to each of the three Professional Groups:

• Mental Health Professionals: Be licensed with five years experience in his or her field since become licensed; or the equivalent experienced as determined by Association peers
• Attorneys: Be licensed to practice in California with five years experience since becoming licensed. Primary focus must be family law, or equivalent experience as determined by Association peers
• Financial Advisors: Be certified as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with five years experience post certification; and within the past two years, have substantive planning experience in the financial aspects of divorce finances and planning.
• NOTE: No financial specialist member will conduct business outside of the Collaborative Process with any client during a case, or after the clients’ case is completed.