In collaborative law, both parties sign a written participation agreement to negotiate in good faith outside of court. The agreement sets the ground rules and formally starts the collaborative process. If settlement fails, the collaborative lawyers are disqualified from later representing either party in a court case about the same matter. This disqualification also can extend to other lawyers in the same firm, with limited exceptions for things like getting an agreement approved or seeking emergency protection. Colorado enacted the Uniform Collaborative Law Act, which details these requirements. Knowing this structure can motivate focused settlement and reduce the risk of adversarial escalation.