FAQs

What’s the difference between a divorce lawyer and a divorce mediator?

A divorce lawyer is an attorney who represents one spouse's interests in a divorce. A divorce mediator is a neutral third party who helps both of you reach agreements together. Key differences include:

  • Representation: Lawyers represent one spouse; mediators represent neither and work with both.

  • Approach: Lawyers advocate and sometimes litigate; mediators facilitate and negotiate.

  • Cost: Mediation is typically much less expensive since you're sharing the cost of one professional rather than each paying separate lawyers.

  • Control: With mediation, you and your spouse maintain control over the outcome; with lawyers and court proceedings, a judge may make final decisions.

  • Atmosphere: Mediation tends to be more collaborative and less adversarial than traditional lawyer-led divorces.

What’s the cost of divorce mediation?

The total cost of mediation depends on the complexity of your case. Mediation can be as short as a single session in simple cases where spouses mostly agree on the outcomes or many sessions in more complex cases with a lot of disagreement.

At the end of the mediation, you’ll come away with a Memorandum of Understanding, which a drafting attorney can turn into a legal agreement that you’ll use when you file for divorce.

Traditional divorce with attorneys can cost each spouse thousands of dollars or more. Contested divorces that go to trial can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars per person.

With mediation, you're splitting the cost of one professional rather than each paying separate lawyers. Even accounting for the cost of having attorneys review your final agreement, mediation usually costs a fraction of what traditional divorce proceedings cost.

You can find my fees listed here.

What does the divorce mediation process look like?

At the start of the mediation, you and your spouse will discuss your goals for the session. Then we work together to bring resolution to the areas where you’re in disagreement. At the end of the mediation, you’ll have an agreement called a Memorandum of Understanding, which a drafting attorney can turn into a legal divorce agreement. You’ll use that legal agreement to file for divorce.

The length of this process is determined by the complexity of your situation, as well as you and your spouse’s willingness to work with each other.