Mediation offers the opportunity to resolve your family law issues through confidential, voluntary, guided negotiation by a neutral mediator. Not all mediators are certified. Because I am a certified mediator, your negotiations in mediation are inadmissible in court. Not all mediators are lawyers, which can result in legally problematic agreements. As a family law lawyer, I have thorough knowledge of the laws governing child custody, child support, alimony, and property division; the expertise necessary to draft an effective agreement for entry in the probate court; and sensitivity to the conflicts your family may be working through.

By mediating your case, you avoid public hearings in court, which preserves your family’s privacy and amicable relations. You can also avoid the “circular echoing chamber” of each party telling their respective attorney their own version of the truth, which leaves contested litigation as the only option to decide the outcome of the matters before the court. As a neutral mediator, I will hear from both of you and my goal will be to help you resolve your legal issues. I am committed to remaining neutral and helping families find solutions that work for them – solutions a judge might be unlikely or even entirely unable to order after a contested hearing.

The most important elements of a successful mediation are a competent, informed mediator and parties committed to the mediation process. If you are interested in pursuing mediation, I can provide you with materials and an approach to discussion with your family member, and I will do everything I can to ensure each participant is comfortable with the process and with my role as mediator. I look forward to hearing from you.