Explore Mediation As An Option For Your Family Conflict
At Kozek PLLC, our attorneys are focused on resolving your complicated family disputes as efficiently as possible. Mediation is ideally suited to couples who have a relatively comparable understanding of their family finances, needs of their children, and issues confronting them both currently and in the future. It is a process of resolving conflict with an impartial third party – a mediator – who facilitates the discussion and ensures that all necessary issues are raised, addressed, and resolved in a way that meets the needs of each party and the family. Sometimes, mediators suggest alternatives that might not have occurred to either party.
Our firm’s mediators hear both sides and help clients find a solution that is mutually beneficial. Our attorneys can help you determine if mediation is suited to your particular circumstances. We have experience working with well-established professionals, business owners and high net worth families involving significant assets, investments and multiple residences.
What Is The Difference Between Mediation And Collaborative Practice?
Mediation and Collaborative Practice are sometimes confused as being the same process. The two methods, however, have significant differences. When a couple chooses mediation, their discussions will be with one another under the guidance of a trained mediator. Neither party has a legal advocate alongside them during the mediation meetings.
Mediators provide neutral leadership in meetings scheduled by the parties. Mediators do not provide individual legal advice for the parties involved in mediation. Rather, the mediator provides a safe environment, offering direction to identify key issues, leading discussions to explore the consequences of decisions and facilitating respectful communication for creating mutually agreed settlements. A mediator often encourages each party to seek an independent attorney for legal advice.
In the Collaborative Process, clients similarly attend meetings, however, they are accompanied by their own lawyers, their coaches and other professional experts such as financial advisers or child mental health specialists. The goal of Collaborative Practice is to create written settlements outside of court. Parties commit in writing to adhere to the principles of the Collaborative Process.
Flexible Solutions Centered On Maintaining Relationships
At Kozek PLLC, we understand complex family circumstances. When your professional practice, intellectual property, family business or child’s special education or medical needs are at stake, you need an attorney well-versed in these areas to navigate you through the difficult process of divorce or separation. Mediation can save you time, acrimony and the cost of litigation. Collaborative Divorce can help create a customized agreement for your family’s needs which is not possible through traditional litigation.