Many Families Benefit From Participating In Mediation, A Non-Adversarial Voluntary Process.

The Court process is limited to a certain range of outcomes that a Judge might order, which are dictated strictly by law. Conversely, in mediation, the family law legal framework may inform the party's choices and decisions, but the parties have much more control over the process and the outcome of the case and are not strictly bound by the limits of the legal framework.  The mediator can explain the applicable law and the legal process, but cannot provide legal advice and does not issue rulings. When an agreement is reached in mediation, it will be documented in writing and signed by all parties that will be legally binding. 

During our first joint meeting, I will explain the mediation and divorce process as a whole. We will then identify your and your family’s immediate needs, such as temporary financial arrangements and temporary custody; and we will also start mapping out the long-term issues that need to be addressed to complete the divorce process, such as a parenting plan, asset division, and post-divorce support. 

Through a series of meetings, or in some cases, a full or half-day mediation (typically conducted with direct attorney involvement) we will work through the issues that need to be addressed to reach interim and global agreements. We may determine that bringing in other professionals into the mediation process might help. For example, involving a child specialist to assist with complex custody issues, or a forensic accountant to assist with issues related to assets, can be extremely helpful in some cases. You will have the opportunity to consult with an attorney of your choice throughout the process; if you would like your attorney directly involved in the mediation process, then that is an option that we can discuss as well.

I have more than 15 years of teaching and conducting mediations. I look forward to working with you and guiding you and your spouse/partner through the divorce process.