Anne C. Towey, PLLC
Collaborative Practice and Adoption Attorney
A child focused practice
Edinborough Corporate Center
3300 Edinborough Way, Ste. 550
Edina, MN 55435
Main: 952.405.2030
Fax: 952.405.2031
Email: actowey@comcast.net
Web site: www.atowey.com

Anne C. Towey, a Collaborative Practice Attorney and Mediator will describe some of the positive legal ramifications in deciding to co-parent through the divorce process as well as into the future. Anne Towey will illustrate some of the problems caused to co-parenting and parental relationships when parents leave the important decisions about their children to a disinterested party such as a Judge. Anne Towey will point out the factors a Judge would be required to consider and help parents see why the court should be the last resort, not the first.

Anne limits her law practice to helping families through some of the most difficult issues they will face. She understands how difficult, intensely emotional and even traumatic divorce can be, as she has been there herself. She understands how the lack of control only adds to the difficulty. Anne views her job as educating people on how they can regain control of the process as they go through the divorce.

Anne left a highly successful litigation practice at a large and well respected Minnesota litigation law firm and now refers to herself as a 'Recovering Trial Lawyer.' After being recognized by Minnesota Law and Politics, Twin Cities Business Monthly and Minneapolis, St. Paul Magazines as a "Rising Star" she opened Anne C. Towey, PLLC, a child focused practice. Anne limits her practice to helping families through some of the most difficult issues. The firm’s practice is focused exclusively on:

Helping Families Grow Through Adoption

Helping Preserve Family Relationships through Collaborative Practice Divorce and Collaborative Practice Mediation, and

Helping Families Plan for the future through Wills and Trusts

Anne Towey graduated from the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul, and then attended William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. While attending law school in the evenings, Anne was a full-time Judicial Law Clerk for various Judges at Ramsey County District Court:
The Honorable Bertrand Poritsky
The Honorable Roland Faricy and
The Honorable John B. Van de North, Jr.

Also during law school Anne argued three times at the Minnesota Court of Appeals as a Certified Student Attorney (maiden name Anne Huntley).

After graduating from Law School, Anne began her one year Judicial Clerkship at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, clerking for:
The Honorable Gordon Shumaker

Why Anne Towey abandoned a successful litigation practice and now focuses on areas to help families grow and heal, focusing primarily on Collaborative Practice divorce and Collaborative Practice mediation.

Unfortunately almost half of all marriages in America end not in the death of a spouse, but in a divorce. Most of us are close to someone whose life has been touched by divorce. We know it is one of the most difficult transitions in a person's life.

The traditional way of obtaining the legal divorce is through litigation. Divorce litigation is the one area of litigation I was never willing to practice-because until quite recently I knew of no way a person could conduct divorce litigation without necessarily damaging the mental health of the children involved. Many people agree that the courtroom is not where decisions about the family should be made, but many do not realize that there are a number of alternatives. One of the alternatives is Collaborative Practice.

Now that there is a way for couples to obtain a divorce, have all of their legitimate needs met, and yet do so in a way that does not add unnecessary damage to themselves or their children I am offering such services to clients.

Collaborative Practice is especially attractive to people who are concerned about how their divorce will impact their children. Collaborative Practice significantly makes it quite possible for parents to co-parent their children effectively going forward, even though living separate lives in separate dwellings. Indeed, although the ending of the marital relationship is difficult, the continuing relationship is transformed into one that is a little less intimate and a little more business-like. Thus, collaboratively divorced parties realize that when their children marry, they will be able to sit together in the same pew and at the same table if they so choose. They will be able to sit together at athletic events so their children do not need to look to different areas to see their parents supporting them.
Collaborative Practice is also especially attractive to people who want to retain some of the good aspects of their relationship, or forge new positive aspects, despite the fact that they are obtaining a divorce.

Anne Towey's Professional Activities and Memberships include:
International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
Collaborative Law Institute, Minnesota
--Task Force on Protocols
--Outreach Committee
--Public Education Committee
--Training Committee
Facilitator of New Multi-Regional Multidisciplinary Group (Meetings with collaboratively trained professionals --including mental health professionals, financial specialists and attorneys-- to determine best ways to efficiently assist clients in the difficult transitions of their lives).
Minnesota State Bar Association
--Professionalism Committee
--Family Law Section
--Juvenile and the Law Section
Hennepin County Bar Association
--Family Law Section
--Juvenile and the Law Section
Minnesota Women Lawyers

Anne will be speaking about:

Keeping the Kids at the Center,
Not in the Middle

Read Anne's info:

Changing the Way People Divorce

Divorce Doesn't Have to be a Battlefield

Resources | Registration | Media/Press Kit

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