In the beginning, there was Stu Webb.
Stu practiced traditional family law for more than 20 years in Minneapolis, when during the late 1980’s he became interested in mediation and alternate dispute resolution.
Stu’s challenge was to craft a way to bring the particular talent of lawyers as problem-solvers into a ‘settlement only’ process for family law cases.
What Stu envisioned was a model where lawyers could not, under any circumstances, go to court or threaten to go to court. That simple axiom transformed the practice of family law.
Stu proved that families, parents and children do not need judges, courts and litigation to help them separate.
Stu was right. It worked.
Now, 40 years later, his legacy lives on.
The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals now has over 5,000 members from 24 countries around the world who are dedicated to professional excellence in conflict resolution – without the damage that litigation causes.
Thank you Stu.
Editorial Note: Originally published in 2024, this piece honors Stu Webb—the father of collaborative law—and the profound shift he inspired in family dispute resolution. His legacy remains a cornerstone for professionals seeking humane, settlement-focused alternatives to litigation.
Steve Benmor, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law), C.S., Cert.F.Med., C.Arb., FDRP PC, is the founder and principal lawyer of Benmor Family Law Group, a boutique matrimonial law firm in downtown Toronto. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, a Certified Specialist in Parenting Coordination and was admitted as a Fellow to the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers. Steve is regularly retained as a Divorce Mediator/Arbitrator and Parenting Coordinator. Steve uses his 30 years of in-depth knowledge of family law, court-room experience and expert problem-solving skills in Divorce Mediation/Arbitration to help spouses reach fair, fast and cooperative divorce settlements without the financial losses, emotional costs and lengthy delays from divorce court.
Share this article on: