From the desk of My Collaborative Team President, Edward S. Sachs, CPA.

I believe it was Bob Merlin who I once heard describe the IACP as the “mother ship.” 

Founded originally in 1999, the vision of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals was to be an umbrella networking organization to serve Collaborative Practice in its many forms. Over the years the members of IACP have created standards covering practitioners, trainers and Collaborative trainings.

My Collaborative Team encourages all its members and all Collaborative professionals to join and be active in IACP.

Take a look at their website www.collaborativepractice.com. There is a wealth of information for the public and for non-members. But once you become a member it opens the door to an even greater amount of resources. I have utilized the IACP on-line brochure for years in my practice. At your fingertips will be the IACP Minimum Ethical Standards for Collaborative Professionals. This is one of the best guides to not only make you more competent but to assist you in the most difficult of Collaborative situations. My friend Dr. Bill Frankenstein of New Jersey tells me he reads the Ethical Standards before beginning every Collaborative matter.

And then there is the IACP Forum. Don’t get me started on how great this event is! The warmth, the camaraderie, the networking, the learning, and more learning, and the fun! Last year I heard two comments that sum up the atmosphere of the IACP Forum. One keynote speaker started by saying he speaks to conferences all over the world. He then suggested that the Forum was the first conference he had ever attended where no one would shake his hands. Everyone wanted to hug!!! And in the Global Partners meeting, one of my colleagues said we needed lessons on who gets a single cheek kiss, who gets a double cheek kiss, and apparently some of our international partners give three cheek kisses. It was getting very confusing! Unfortunately, it looks like that won’t be an issue for the near future. What will Collaborative practitioners do at this year’s Forum when we must socially distance?

My Collaborative Team not only encourages you to join IACP, but we also encourage you to be active in one of its many committees. My service on the Ethical Standards committee for the last four years has been an extremely gratifying and educational experience. Working with the framers of our Ethical Standards and the founders of the Collaborative movement has been the most rewarding part of my membership in IACP. And having the opportunity to be a presenter at the Forum for the last three years has increased my competence and helped build on my reputation.