What is family law mediation?
Mediation is the confidential process by which a trained neutral third person, called a mediator, helps to facilitate an agreement between the parties. Mediation is an alternative to the traditional litigation process through which parties can create custom-built solutions while minimizing negative emotional, and financial impacts.
Mediators can be attorneys, retired judges, therapists, or other trained individuals. For family law matters, we recommend that you utilize a mediator who has specialized experience with family law matters, and who is familiar with the family courts and legal process. Mediators without specialized legal training often do not have the education, qualifications, and experience you need for your divorce mediation. You want a mediator who has extensive family law experience and training in alternative dispute resolution. At Murphy Family Law, we employ both Attorney and Non-Attorney Mediators to assist you in resolving your family law disputes.
Non-Attorney Mediators
A non-attorney family law mediator is a professional who specializes in helping parties navigate and resolve family law disputes through mediation, but they do not hold a law degree and are not licensed attorneys. Instead of providing legal advice or representing clients in court, a non-attorney family law mediator facilitates communication and negotiation between parties in order to reach mutually acceptable agreements.
Our non-attorney mediators collaborate closely with our family law attorneys to integrate legal knowledge into the mediation process, ensuring that all proposed agreements align with legal requirements and standards. They work in conjunction with family law attorneys to draft pleadings, petitions, and other legal documents necessary for court submissions. Non-attorney mediators often charge lower fees than attorney mediators, making the mediation process more cost-effective. This can be particularly advantageous for parties seeking a more affordable resolution to their disputes.
Attorney Mediators
A family law attorney mediator is a legal professional who is trained and qualified both as an attorney and a mediator. This individual combines legal expertise with mediation skills to help parties in family law disputes reach agreements outside of the courtroom. Attorney mediators typically charge higher rates than their non-attorney counterparts.
Similar to non-attorney mediators, family law attorney mediators maintain a neutral and impartial stance during the mediation process. They do not advocate for either party but work to ensure a fair and balanced resolution. As they are neutral facilitators, they cannot provide legal advice, but they can provide legal information regarding family law matters. Our attorney mediators also oversee the drafting of all pleadings, settlement documents, agreements, and filings to ensure that your family law matter is properly completed through the relevant judicial process.
Our Attorney and Non-Attorney Mediators Work Together as Highly Qualified Team to Provide You Superior Dispute Resolution
All of our mediators are 40 hour ADR certified. They use strong mediation skills to guide clients through constructive conversations, fostering open communication and encouraging mutually beneficial solutions. We ensure that we maintain a neutral stance throughout the mediation process, promoting an environment where all parties feel heard and understood without fear of bias. As a collaborative team, our mediators assist in the development of comprehensive agreements that address the unique needs and concerns of all parties involved. These agreements cover aspects such as child custody, visitation, spousal support, and division of assets.
At Murphy Family Law, we have the skills and training to help you mediate your dissolution in a respectful and collaborative manner. We carefully review all potential clients so that we can pair you with a mediator that best suits the needs of your family. Reach out today to schedule a consultation with one of our mediators.
