When it comes to divorce, Michael Lehner, CPA/ABV, CFE, ASA, believes that the best possible outcome for all parties will be achieved by using the Collaborative process, instead of litigating the case in a courtroom where there is very little chance for compromise.

“Often a court battle won’t let you move forward,” he says. With collaboration, the process moves along much more quickly and does not get caught in the red tape of a courtroom.

Lehner says that his role in the divorce process is to “help people move on with their lives.”

He is an expert in forensic accounting, and strives to clarify the divorce process for his clients so that they don’t have to spend time worrying about the financials. Alternatives to litigation in settling financial issues in divorce and business gives the closure both parties need, he says.

“I keep them from getting stuck in the weeds,” he says.

He first began to get involved in alternate divorce resolutions early in his career, and saw that the cases that were mediated–instead of argued in a courtroom–enabled the family to “get to the next step” of their lives more quickly.

When the concept of “Collaborative divorce,” he became a strong proponent, and explained to his clients that Collaborative is a creative, cost-effective alternative to the traditionally adversarial divorce process.

As a financial expert, he participates in the collaborative process to help keep the parties focused on financial — rather than emotional — issues. He helps evaluate alimony and child support options, discusses marital asset allocations, and values private business interests.

Instead of advocating one-sided victories, he encourages value-based discussions and settlements that “expand the pie” before divvying it up. He also facilitates settlement with creative financial solutions to complex personal and financial issues that incorporate both parties’ needs and priorities.

Now, with more than 30 years of experience with a focus on business valuation, litigation support, and taxation issues, he leads the Bridgewater, NJ office financial group of Baratz & Associates, P.A.

Lehner has prepared business valuations for shareholder disputes, matrimonial proceedings, acquisitions and sales of businesses, gift and estate planning, succession planning, and commercial litigation.

He also has extensive experience in complex litigation matters, including determination of damages and lost profits, fraud and forensic investigations, and tracing and identification of assets.

He has additional expertise in auditing, financial statement analysis, and consulting. His traditional accounting experience includes taxation and financial statement reporting for closely-held businesses, with a concentration on professional practitioners, real estate developers, construction contractors, retailers, manufacturers, and computer hardware and software providers.

When he is not working with numbers, he enjoys rooting for his favorite baseball and football teams, listening to classic rock, going to the beach, and playing with his dogs, sometimes all at the same time.

His Mantra:  My passion is to give people the financial information they need so they can attain closure and move on with their lives.