Making Divorce Less Expensive, Less Traumatic
When two people have respect for each other's needs and want to get through a divorce without damaging each other or spending more on legal fees than absolutely necessary, there is a better way than the traditional adversarial divorce process. Speak to a New York City divorce mediation lawyer at the Greenberg & Greenberg law firm.
Divorce Mediation ∙ Family Law Attorneys
Contact Us ∙ 347-448-5674 ∙ 877-340-0995
- Why choose divorce mediation?
- Who are the mediators?
- How does mediation work?
- Benefits of mediation
- Do I need an attorney?
- Can I really divorce peacefully?
Why choose divorce mediation?
If you have decided to separate or divorce, mediation is the better alternative to expensive and emotionally traumatic court battles. By choosing mediation, you take control of the process by negotiating your own settlement. The mediator guides you through parenting, financial and other necessary decisions, while respecting your ability to make your own best choices.
Mediation is also much quicker than divorce litigation. Courts have very crowded dockets; meaning hearing dates are frequently set many months in advance. Mediation is much more flexible. We usually complete mediations in an average of 6-16 hours, as opposed to the months and often years it takes to complete a contested divorce in court.
Mediation is not just for couples with children. Families who can benefit from mediation include couples without children, with grown children, couples who cooperate or who do not cooperate well, same sex couples, non-traditional families, couples who own property together or couples who do not own property at all.
Who are the Mediators?
Mediators are not advocates for either party. We are lawyers with special training in divorce mediation, which includes matrimonial law, financial planning and the emotional effects of divorce and separation. Our job is to help a couple arrive at a fair and satisfactory settlement, with no winner or loser. The mediator empowers the couple by educating you about your rights and obligations, including parenting and financial issues. We can and will ensure that one party does not intimidate the other, but in balancing the power when necessary, we are always able to maintain our neutrality.
If there are children involved, the mediator helps separate clients' spousal role, which is ending, from their parental role, in which the couple will still be partners after the divorce. We strive to make sure that the post-divorce relationship is not full of bitterness and anger; the actual process of mediation helps you develop techniques for working together so that the family is far better off than it would have been after a nasty and costly divorce battle in court.
How does mediation work?
The mediator will focus on the relevant issues and help identify possible options. You will actively participate in the negotiations and forge a mutually acceptable agreement that satisfies the needs of the entire family. The focus for both parties is on controlling their own divorce rather than ceding control to a judge. Unlike in litigation - where the lawyer controls the process and silences you - in mediation, you control your own destiny. We work to give both parties the opportunity to be heard and understood. This provides a foundation for negotiating an agreement that is fair for the entire family.
In the first session, we explain the mediation process in detail. You will not spend hours of time and tons of your money battling against an adversary in court. Rather, we jump right into the negotiating arena as you begin to discuss your concerns. The issues include parenting agreement, spousal and child support, marital residence and distribution of assets. Hourly sessions are scheduled at the couple's convenience. Most couples choose to meet with us on a weekly basis. Fees are payable at the end of each session.
Benefits of Mediation
While the goal of mediation is to forge a satisfactory agreement, the process by virtue of the spirit of cooperation and compromise also:- Costs less
- Takes much less time than litigation
- Allows you to control the decision-making
- Saves the stress and heartache of contested divorce
- Keeps the matter private and confidential, thereby avoiding public disclosure of financial and personal matters
- Teaches skills which help in the post-divorce relationship with your spouse
- Benefits the children by reducing conflict and fighting
Do I need an attorney?
As mediation attorneys, we can draft your agreement for ultimate submission to court. However, we suggest that the agreement be reviewed by an independent attorney before you sign it. We are pleased to recommend mediation-friendly attorneys to each of you.
Can I really divorce peacefully?
Yes, you can. Mediation has proved to be the vehicle to a peaceful divorce process. Of course, there are sessions where disagreements erupt and fighting or yelling may occur. Our goal is to help you learn from these occasional outbursts and focus on the best interest of the entire family, which is ordinarily not served by putting everyone through the emotional grinder of contested divorce. Divorce does not have to break you emotionally or financially. By choosing mediation, you are embarking on the path toward a peaceful divorce.
If you and your spouse would like to save time and money with a mediated divorce, contact us for an appointment at the Greenberg & Greenberg law firm. Our divorce mediators are ready to help you.
