Divorce Mediation

If you and your spouse or partner have made the decision to end your relationship and want to proceed in a manner that will allow you, when you're finally divorced, to feel proud of yourselves, and to remain on friendly terms with each other, then mediation is for you.

As a Family Lawyer, Mediator and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I can provide you with the expertise you'll need to create a Marital Settlement Agreement that meets your and your reconfigured family's needs. (Please review my Clarification of Services below).

Here's how I guide you through the Divorce Mediation process:

We'll meet in-person for a 30 to 45 minute initial consultation. If you choose to use my services, I request that you pay me for my time at my prorated hourly rate. If you decide not to use my services, there is no charge.

This initial consultation allows you to ask me questions and;
To see if we'll work well together.

During this initial consultation I'll provide you with the following documents for you to take home to review:

A draft of the Mediation Agreement into which we'll enter, explaining the mediation process, my fees, and the services I'll be performing for you;
If you have children, sample parenting plans to get you thinking about how you'll share your parenting time;
A road map of all of the issues that must be addressed in a Legal Separation or Dissolution of Marriage.
Access to a Family Law Software program that will allow you to enter data related to your expenses, property, retirement plans, assets and debts.

If you decide to use my services, you'll complete the forms, and return them to me before your first mediation session.

Mediation sessions are scheduled in two to three-hour blocks.

I've found that many clients are able to negotiate the terms of their Marital Settlement Agreements in two to four sessions.
However, if there's a lot of conflict in your relationship, more sessions may be required; and I may suggest that you seek the independent advice of other professionals (i.e., financial specialists, mediation-friendly attorneys or psychotherapists), to help you through the process.

During subsequent mediation sessions:

I can help you complete and file the Petition, other initial court documents, Response and financial disclosures or you can hire someone else to do this for you.
We'll address each agenda item until all items have been negotiated;
I'll provide you with a written summary of your Mediation Session and a "to do list" of tasks you must complete, and information you must gather, before the next mediation session.

When all agenda items have been negotiated,

I'll prepare your Marital Settlement Agreement or Stipulation for Judgment of Dissolution and then you'll each have your own attorney review it.

I can provide you with referrals to mediation-friendly attorneys for this purpose.

Then you'll be ready to file your final court documents:
I can help you prepare the final drafts of your court documents for filing, or you can hire someone else to do this for you.