Irvine Mediation Lawyer

Providing Our Clients with Alternative Dispute Resolution Opportunities

Many family law issues can be emotionally overwhelming. However, when unchecked emotions or an agenda focused on dishing out retribution starts to drive the actions of the parties, they enter themselves into a dreadful contest that will likely have no winners. Sometimes, the adversarial nature of our civil legal system can contribute to such a situation. Fortunately, there are alternative forms of dispute resolution available to help promote cost-effective compromise and negotiation between the parties.

The parties in an intense family law dispute can take advantage of the mediation process to help maintain focus on finding a just solution to their legal problems based on basic respect and compromise. If you are facing a potentially intense and combative family law litigation process, you should seek the services of our mediation attorneys. At Sullivan Law & Associates, our legal team understands the importance of finding a cost-effective alternative to courtroom litigation when it comes to putting family law matters to rest. Luckily, mediation allows both parties to save hundreds of dollars on fees they would have spent during a traditional divorce.

To learn more about how Sullivan Law & Associates can help you, call us at (949) 565-2793 today.

Comprehensive Mediation Services

Under California law, “mediation” is defined to mean “a process in which a neutral person or persons facilitate communication between the disputants to assist them in reach a mutually acceptable agreement.” Mediation differs from the conventional adversarial legal process by focusing on mutual agreement instead of trying to fight and argue against the other party. At Sullivan Law & Associates, our experienced attorneys can provide an effective mediation process based on your personal needs.

We do so by providing:

• Hands-on mediation where your mediator takes affirmative steps toward brokering a
• compromise
• Mediation that works mainly with your attorneys
• Mediation approaches that keep you and the other party physically separate while the
• mediator facilitates communication

Steps to Mediation

Although mediation is less formal than going to court, it should not be thought of as an informal chat between the parties that suddenly results in a resolution to their dispute. Instead, mediation is made up of several distinct stages to help guide clients to a successful outcome.

The steps involved in a mediation session include:

• Step 1: The mediator introduces the participants, explains the mediation process, and outlines the rules.
• Step 2: Each party is given the opportunity to present their view of the dispute without interruption.
• Step 3: The mediator and the parties engage in a joint discussion, which often involves many questions being asked to better understand each party’s needs and concerns.
• Step 4: The mediator may choose to split the parties into separate rooms for private meetings.
• Step 5: The mediator conducts a joint negotiation, whether the parties remain in their different rooms or are brought back together into one room.
• Step 6: The meeting is brought to a close. If an agreement has been reached, the mediator may draft a summary of the agreement and ask the parties to sign it.

If an agreement cannot be reached during the mediation session, the mediator will help the parties make an informed decision about what to do next. This may involve meeting again later or continuing negotiations over the phone. If it seems unlikely that these efforts would be fruitful, the mediator can help the parties understand the alternative options for resolving their dispute.

Call Sullivan Law & Associates for Quality Mediation Lawyers

At Sullivan Law & Associates, our legal team has the experience and sophisticated knowledge of California family law to understand the ins, outs, and pitfalls of specific legal issues. As a result, we can help you find a dependable and affordable alternative method of resolving your legal dispute to help you save time, money, and stress. Our mediation lawyers in know how to fit the specific needs of you and your family’s case.

Contact Sullivan Law & Associates online, or call us at (949) 565-2793 to learn more about our mediation services today.