1. The First Meeting

I?ll meet with you and your spouse, together or individually, for a brief orientation about the divorce mediation process. I?ll educate you each about the legal process, and we?ll discuss your goals for the final resolution.

2. Initiate the Action

If you have not already initiated a legal proceeding, we?ll educate you about the purpose of initiating the action. If necessary, we?ll arrange for a registered Legal Document Assistant (LDA) to handle the preparation and filings.

3. Exchange Information

Each of you will be required by law to disclose certain information to your spouse. After both of you have met your statutory disclosure requirements, We will facilitate the informal exchange of additional information between you two.

4. Gather Opinions from Neutral Experts

In some divorce mediation cases, you may need the opinion of neutral experts before entering a settlement. These experts may include real estate appraisers, business valuators, custody professionals, or forensic accountants.

5. Negotiate a Settlement

Once you have sufficiently exchanged information, you?ll be ready to negotiate a settlement. The number and length of sessions can vary greatly depending on your needs/concerns and the complexity of the issues.

6. Independent Review

If you do reach tentative agreements through divorce mediation, the terms will be put in writing. Once you reach an agreement, we strongly encourage you to have the agreement reviewed by independent legal counsel.

7. Finalize the Settlement

After you both have had an opportunity to review the agreement with your independent counsels, we will prepare a Marital Settlement Agreement, Parenting Plan (if applicable), and/or other orders to file with the court.