Divorce Mediation and Custody

As a family law attorney trained in mediation, collaborative divorce and parent coordinating, I enjoy helping others to solve co-parenting and custody challenges as they transition through the divorce process. Additionally, I work with parents in conflict who wish to solve their family challenges and remain married. Every family is unique and deserving of the best opportunity to create a better path forward to maintain their families or when dissolving their marriage/partnership.

What is Mediation?

Mediation is a conversation between two or more individuals who disagree guided by a specially trained, neutral mediator. Utilizing a guided facilitation approach to mediation, I provide a basic structure and guidance for an open dialogue between the parties, without directing the conversation towards any particular result. I have expertise and experience in mediating and facilitating family matters, such as Divorce, Co-Parenting, Child Rearing and Family Restructuring.

There are significant benefits to mediation, including:

  • Much less expensive than litigation
  • Rapid settlements and decisions that hold up over time
  • Mutually satisfactory outcomes – agreements are better than simple compromises or win/lose outcomes
  • High rate of compliance
  • Comprehensive and customized agreements
  • Greater degree of control and predictability of outcome
  • Personal empowerment
  • Preservation of an ongoing relationship or termination of a relationship in a more amicable way
  • Workable and implementable decisions

Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative divorce practice creates a safe space for individuals to have difficult conversations with full support of a highly trained collaborative team.

In family law cases, the collaborative team generally includes collaborative lawyers for each party, a neutral coach and a neutral financial professional. These professionals work together with the parties to facilitate durable, unique and creative solutions which honor the parties’ self-determination and individuality and provide a model for resolution of future conflicts. The advantages of collaborative practice include:

  • Privacy – while most court-based processes are public, the collaborative process is completely confidential.
  • Control – parties, not lawyers, court personnel or judges, are in charge of all outcomes.
  • Safety of the Children – in the collaborative process children never have to appear in an adversarial setting. The parties, with the guidance of highly skilled professionals, ensure that the needs of the children are always at the forefront of all discussions.
  • Preservation of Relationships – while the collaborative process provides the space to have very difficult conversations, the emphasis is always on respecting each individual and her/his needs thus ensuring that key relationships remain intact.
  • Cost – most collaborative cases cost thousands of dollars less than those litigated in court.
  • Efficacy – well over 80% of collaborative cases result in a negotiated agreement.

Other services:

Parent Coordination
Co-Parent Coaching
Guardian ad Litem
Early Neutral Evaluator
Collaborative Divorce