That can happen. There are no guarantees that one's rights will be protected if a participant in the collaborative law process acts inbad faith. There also are no guarantees in conventional legal representation. What is different about collaborative law is thatthe collaborative agreement requires a lawyer to withdraw upon becoming aware his/her client is being less than fully honest, or participating in the process in bad faith.

For instance, if documents are altered or withheld, or if a client is deliberately delaying matters for economic or other gain, thelawyers have promised in advance that they will withdraw and will not continue to represent the client. The same is true if the client fails to keep agreements made during the course of negotiations, forinstance an agreement to pay agreed maintenance.