Bruce E Avery, JD
(Lawyer/Mediator)
Everybody has a special talent, a skill that gives them satisfaction and pleasure. Some are tap dancers, some are prize fighters. I am neither. I help people solve problems.
Over my 30 years of experience in resolving legal conflicts, I have learned and practiced problem-solving techniques that benefit and satisfy both parties without losing sight of my clients' needs and feelings.
My foundation for this approach comes from my 20 years in the Army. During my five years as an enlisted man, I served as an ombudsman for the residents of lower-enlisted housing areas. The next 15 years I served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG), negotiating claims against the Army. Over that time, I successfully resolved disputes both grand and small, from claims brought by US and foreign civilians and local governments (as well as other national governments) against the United States down to neighbor-to-neighbor arguments over parking spaces.
Since 1993, after I retired from the Army, I have restricted my practice to family law, predominantly in Montgomery County, Maryland. First as a solo practitioner and now in partnership with my daughter, Prudence Upton, at Avery & Upton, I have handled hundreds of divorce, child custody, child support, visitation, and other family issues, most often bringing them to resolution without the need for a trial.
I am certified as a mediator in both general civil matters and family law, focusing on property and child-related issues. I serve as a facilitator for the Family Law Division of the Montgomery County Circuit Court.
All of these experiences orient me toward Collaborative Practice. In this process, my clients resolve their own problems with their 'other parties.' They do this with my help and that of experts in personal finances, child psychology, and marriage counseling. Clients who have participated in this process are relieved to work together with their former partners rather than have a result imposed upon them by the judicial system.
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| Professional Activities |
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Past President, Collaborative Dispute Resolution Professionals, Inc., Montgomery County, Maryland
Trainer, Collaborative Practice Training Institute
Founding Member, Maryland Collaborative Practice Council
Family Law Section, Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland
Maryland State Bar Association
Kentucky Bar Association
DC Bar
American Bar Association
American Association for Justice
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| Professional Licenses |
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Member of Bars of Maryland, District of Columbia, Kentucky, and Republic of Korea
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| General Comments |
| Collaborative Law has lived up to my expectations for helping families resolve problems rather than create new problems. |
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| Areas of Practice |
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Collaborative Law
Family Law
Guardian Ad Litem
Mediation
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| Education |
| Undergraduate Education |
| Hobart College, Geneva, NY BA 1971 |
| Professional Education |
| University of Louisville, KY JD 1976 |
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| Collaborative Practice Training |
| Year |
Training Type |
Instructor |
Hours |
| 2004 |
Basic Collaborative Law Training |
Palliser Group |
13 |
| 2005 |
Advanced Mediation Training |
Fox & Vaughn |
40 |
| 2005 |
Basic Mediation Training |
Wolfe, Fox & Vaughn |
40 |
| 2007 |
Conflict Resolution Training |
Ellison |
6 |
| 2007 |
Conflict Resolution Training |
Solvin |
6 |
| 2008 |
Interdisciplinary Team Training |
CDTT |
20 |
| 2008 |
Basic Collaborative Law Training |
I assisted with training |
14 |
| 2009 |
Interdisciplinary Team Training |
I was instructor |
20 |
| 2009 |
Interdisciplinary Team Training |
Gamache, McCollum & Wolff |
23 |
| 2009 |
Selecting Best Collaborative Process |
Tesler & Thompson |
6 |
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** I have reviewed the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Practitioners and the IACP Ethical Standards for Collaborative Professionals. I verify that I meet the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Practitioners and that I apply the IACP Ethical Standards for Collaborative Professionals in my collaborative practice.
See IACP Standards >
** I have reviewed the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Trainers I verify that I am a Collaborative Practice trainer who meets those Minimum Standards.
** I have reviewed the IACP Minimum Standards for a Collaborative Basic Training. I verify that the basic training that I offer as a Collaborative Practice trainer meets those Minimum Standards.
IACP does not verify the information provided by the professionals listed in this directory.
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| Continuing Education |
| Year |
Education Type |
Instructor |
Hours |
| 2008 |
Harvard Negotiation Project Training |
Patton |
40 |
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@ 2007 INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONALS - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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