MY PROMISE TO YOU

As a professional divorce mediator, my role is to help my clients make the transition from being part of a couple to leading separate lives. And I am committed to helping them do so in a fair, humane and responsible manner.

I know that the adversarial process and the primary focus on "winning" the divorce all too often have bitter and destructive results.

1. I promise to educate. Every couple will be given enough information to feel comfortable in making decisions.
   
   
2. I will provide a level playing field to ensure that every thought, perspective and idea will be heard and given the merit it deserves.
   
   
3. I will provide creativity, giving every couple as many options and ways to reach common ground on every issue.
   
   
4. I promise to help my clients balance the need for separation with the need to achieve their common goals.
   
   
5. I promise to keep in mind that taking good care of your children is a common goal that must be achieved.
   
   
6. And most important, I promise to help you both come up with a fair and equitable agreement!

Description of my practice

My practice is devoted almost exclusively to separation and divorce mediation, although I mediate pre-nuptial agreements, post nuptial agreements, post divorce disputes, and other family issues.  I also perform mediation services for businesses (general business disputes, family owned business conflicts, business dissolutions, employer/employee problems, landlord/tenant disputes, and community problems).

Professional background

I am a graduate of the University of Maryland and have taken many mediation courses at Harvard, Cornell and from many of the most respected divorce mediators throughout the country.  I am a practitioner, educator and researcher for the Association of Conflict Resolution.  Also, I am a CPA with a specialty in financial planning, taxes and division of marital property. 

Experience

I have been a divorce mediator for over 20 years.  Statistically, 94% of my clients achieve complete agreement.  I am very proud of this.

Approach

The heart of my practice is helping my clients develop fair and equitable results. I prepare a Marital Separation Agreement that not only satisfies the needs of my clients but allows them to determine their future without have to spend all of their money with lawyers in a long, hurtful and encumbering legal process that is not only outrageously expensive but usually causes more problems than are resolved.

My specialty is divorce mediation.  I am able to bring to the table over 20 years of experience learned from prior divorce mediations. With the experience that I have, it's unlikely that there is anything that can be thrown at me that I haven't seen before.

I am very proud of the results I get for my clients.  Statistically, over 94% of my clients have achieved complete satisfaction and resolution through mediation.  Truthfully, I don't know why my ability to help divorcing couples is so high.  Is it my training?  Is it my natural ability to help people resolve problems effectively and fairly?  Is it some other factor?  I honestly don't know.  But what I do know is that I take a lot of pride in helping couples get fair and equitable results.  I work hard for each of you in order to come up with a fair and equitable Agreement. 

Also, I am a CPA.  I am recognized as an expert in property division, tax, finance, mortgage and business. This is extremely beneficial because it enables me to share with my clients information, alternatives and reasonable solutions in order to develop a fair and equitable Marital Separation Agreement. This also gives couples solid information in making decisions today that will affect the rest of their lives. Many attorneys use my services to develop creative and fair division of marital property options for their clients.

I don't accept clients without first having a free initial consultation.  This gives me the opportunity to explain the mediation process, answer all of your questions and concerns, and discuss your options.  If we all feel that divorce mediation can be beneficial, then we proceed.

Every mediator has his or her own style of mediation. I am an "issue based mediator". I keep my clients focused on the issues that need to be discussed and resolved in order to come up with a fair and equitable agreement. I'm not a "therapeutic mediator" (eventhough I believe there is a tremendous amount of therapeutic benefit for couples who have gone through the mediation process). I believe that couples who want and need therapy should use the services of a qualified therapist. Therapy is their expertise…problem resolution and helping my clients create a fair and equitable separation and divorce agreement is my forte.

Mediation provides the divorcing couple with a method of mutually and effectively resolving issues of parenting, property and support in a private, safe, and positive environment. With the help of a skilled mediator, couples reach an agreement cooperatively rather than in a competitive struggle.

Unlike the adversarial process, neither party can win at the other's expense. Resolutions must emerge from the mediation that are created and accepted by both parties – resolutions that reflect each couple's individual values and unique needs.

By handling your divorce by yourself with the help of your mediator, you have far more control and far better solutions. Research has clearly shown that settlements created with full participation of the parties, in face to face negotiations, are more likely to satisfy the needs of both parties and be honored in the future.

You need to control the divorce process in order to get the results you and your spouse want. With the help of a qualified divorce mediator, you can do it!

You obviously have two choices to make if you are going to separate or divorce….litigation or mediation. 

Statistics clearly show that one of the primary reasons couples choose attorneys to handle their divorce is because they each "want to WIN all they can". While this may sound like good, logical, decision-making for your future, the reality is that most divorce attorneys are good at their jobs. And it usually doesn't matter what the specific circumstances of the divorce are. It is an extremely rare case when one spouse wins dramatically and the other spouse loses substantially. It simply doesn't happen. Issues are usually settled (compromised) in some kind of illogical, often mysterious method, where one attorney "gives" on one issue and "gets" on another. That's the basis of our legal system. The irony of the entire legal divorce process is that you're on the sidelines having very little control over the outcome. Yet, you're the one paying the money. Statistics in Baltimore County indicate that a contested divorce will cost you a minimum of $10,000 each…and many cases double or triple that…depending on the level of conflict. And for what? Emotional satisfaction that you won't get? A better financial settlement that won't happen? To show the world that you spouse is a bad person (by the way, almost no one's listening)?