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Divorce
The Importance of Time If Your Goal is a Non-Adversarial Divorce
{3 minutes to read} Recently, I was the mediator for a couple that was experiencing significant obstacles in reaching their divorce agreement. One of the parties was furious at the other for wanting the divorce, and he was finding it very difficult to move past his anger. Luckily there was a very powerful force working…
Read MoreMore Reasons To Keep Your Divorce Out of Court: Control & Flexibility
The is the second article in a series focused on Why Court Should Be the Last Resort For Your Divorce. If you’d like a copy of the infographic that tells you more, click here. Join me as we continue to examine the myriad reasons why you may want to reconsider the idea of having “your day…
Read More2 Good Reasons to Keep Your Divorce Out of Court: It’s All About the Future and Long Term Satisfaction
The is the first article in a series focused on Why Court Should Be the Last Resort For Your Divorce. If you’d like a copy of the infographic that tells you more, click here. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson If you get…
Read MoreBeing the Lawyer Clients Need — But Think They Do Not Want
As a mediator and collaborative lawyer, I attract clients whose main priority is to come to an amicable agreement. What I want them to understand is that an amicable agreement does not equal a vague agreement. We need to balance the desire for an amicable divorce negotiation with the need to create an agreement that…
Read MoreConscious Lawyering: Being A Part of the Solution, Not Adding to the Problem
I have written before about the benefits of mindfulness and conscious coupling. In this blog I focus on the mindfulness of the attorney or mediator who is working with the couple. Let’s call it “conscious lawyering.” For a couple considering divorce, the process is going to involve uncomfortable feelings and situations. As a collaborative lawyer or mediator, I…
Read MorePrenuptial Agreements Part 1: What’s Mine is Yours? What’s Yours Is Mine? Wait, What’s Going On?
It’s wedding season, and in addition to checking the typical wedding-related tasks off the to-do list, many soon-to-be newlyweds are reaching out to lawyers like me to draft prenuptial agreements. And one of the most common things they tell me is: “We just need a simple prenup.” For the people who truly want a “simple” prenup, I have…
Read MoreThe True Cost of Litigation (Survey Says!)
Divorce litigation is expensive; everyone knows that. But did you know that if your attorneys don’t get along, the cost will be 20% higher? I was struck when I heard that fact mentioned at a panel discussion on the topic of what mediation clients can expect if they end up in court. One of the panel…
Read MoreDivorcing? Do You Want Your Attorney to be a Problem-Solver or a Troublemaker?
Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser—in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough. – Abraham Lincoln As a collaborative…
Read MoreDivorce Shouldn’t Feel like a Sprint or a Marathon. What Is the Right Pace?
When divorcing couples choose to negotiate the terms of their divorces outside of the court system—whether through mediation or collaborative law—they typically have the best intentions going into the process. They want to be fair to each other; they want to conserve time and money by staying out of court; they want to keep their…
Read MoreLooking for a Mediation Consulting Attorney? Here are 3 questions to ask
The primary function of a consulting attorney is to provide advice and counsel during the mediation process and provide the support you need to advocate for yourself. This is different from a “review attorney” whose primary job is to review the agreement that has been drafted after the mediation process is over. These are 2 very different…
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