Welcome to this resource for families wanting to use mediation as a friendlier, more economical, and more efficient way of resolving family disputes, including those that require legal agreements filed with the courts and those within the family unit.
I always tell clients and colleagues, "Individuals hire divorce lawyers. Families hire me." I believe my job is to seek the best outcome for the whole family. No, this doesn't mean evaluating your legal rights and obligations. That is an important service, but one that a lawyer has to perform on your behalf, working for only one person. I'm looking for solutions that meet every family member's needs not only today or when the judge signs your divorce judgment, but in 20 years or more. I constantly challenge clients to think long-term, and for the financial pieces of that puzzle, I have state-of-the-art software that helps us do just that.
As a child-centered Family and Divorce Mediator, I remind divorcing couple that, "Divorce ends a marriage but not a family." Divorce does not have to ruin your life, your finances, or your family. Many people believe that they need a lawyer when they are getting a divorce. In at reality, most of my clients decide not to employ lawyer as a day-to-day facilitator of their divorce, but instead have a lawyer, for comparably little cost (usually a few hundred dollars), examine the Mediation Report at the end of the process to advise them from a one-sided perspective. Mediation accomplishes all the essential functions at a fraction of the cost and time. In addition, mediation through my office achieves additional results on issues that many other professionals do not address as thoroughly.
I would be happy to answer any questions. I provide a compassionate ear and clear-minded direction for people who are coping with a divorce or other family crisis. Please contact me with your questions or to make an appointment.
I regularly provide my expertise to media organizations, including interviews on radio and television and articles in newspapers throughout the United States, including most recently articles in the Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Press on July 14, the Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette on July 10, the Palm Springs (California) Desert Sun on July 9, the Martinsburg (West Virginia) Journal on June 25, and the Baltimore Sun on June 24.
I also enjoy my professional relationship with "The Schilling Show" and its host, Rob Schilling of WINA Radio in Charlottesville, Virginia. On May 19, I appeared for the fifth time on that program to discuss reentry plans for juvenile inmates.
I am presently working on organizing Juvenile Justice Month in September, a grass-roots effort to shine light on juvenile issues and bring the nation back to the ideals of the original juvenile courts.
Please be confident that your needs -- whether they are for divorce mediation, parent-teen conflicts, juvenile justice advocacy, or media inquiries -- will receive my utmost care and attention.
