mediation

I will work to help you and your spouse, partner or family work out a full, fair agreement via the process of mediation. Your resulting legal agreement will cover all bases, protect both/all of you, and reflect your common wishes, needs and values.  I’ll help you get there constructively, and with the least possible financial and emotional cost.

Learn more about mediation

advice in mediation

If you mediate your divorce or family dispute, you should consult your own separate attorney before finalizing the terms of your agreement.  If I have not served as your mediator, I can act as your legal advisor. 

As a strong advocate in mediation for over 25 years, I will strive to support the work that you and your soon-to-be ‘ex’ have done.  At the same time, I’ll ensure that you understand how fair or unfair the agreement is to you, and that you haven’t overlooked any hidden traps or other significant consequences of your decisions.

collaborative divorce

A Collaborative Process takes place outside the courtroom, in joint, in-person meetings between you, your fiancé or spouse, and your Collaborative Professionals. One of the unique elements of a Collaborative Process is that both Collaborative Lawyers make a commitment not to represent you in court should you be unable to reach an agreement. A Collaborative Process is interdisciplinary in nature and, depending on your needs and preferences, can incorporate a neutral financial expert, divorce coach or child specialist. Once an agreement has been reached, your Collaborative Lawyer will work on your behalf, together with your spouse's Collaborative Lawyer, to draft a legal contract reflecting your agreement and file all necessary papers with the court.

Drafting

Whether or not I serve as your mediator, I will be glad to draft your divorce or family-law-related legal agreement. 

I will craft clear, comprehensive documents for you, in plain English, leaving no loopholes, ambiguities or unresolved issues.  Mediators and attorneys (as well as many clients) highly praise my legal agreements, saying that they are among the clearest and most comprehensive settlement agreements they have ever seen.

negotiation

My work with you occurs entirely out of court, and my focus is to help you reach an optimal agreement with your partner or spouse. I ensure that you understand your present situation, the relevant law, and your legal options. Then, we'll identify and negotiate an agreement that best meets your needs. Once an agreement has been reached, I will draft a legal contract reflecting your agreement and file any necessary papers with the court.

mediation mentor

I have trained and mentored mediators for decades.  As your mentor, I will help you work through any problems or concerns you might have, whether process-related or legal in nature - from how to handle complex issues in mediations, to how to draft and file documents, to how to set up and grow your practice.

For this work, I charge reduced rates, as suggested and approved by the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation.

I’ll be thrilled when I run into you at an upcoming mediation conference, and you tell me how I’ve helped you develop your mediation practice, or how you successfully worked through particularly difficult issues in your mediations with the help of my advice.