Helping Family Law Clients Succeed Through Mediation

At the Collaborative Law Group, we help people get the most out of their opportunities for dispute resolution through mediation in divorce, child custody cases or litigation between unmarried parents. To learn more about the ways that mediation can represent savings in stress, money and uncertainty, contact our office in Ellicott City.

Mediation is one of the more common forms of alternative dispute resolution, or ADR. It represents a way to solve a legal problem without taking the matter to court for decision by a judge. Although there are different forms of mediation, essentially it's a facilitated negotiation between the opposing parties. The objective is to reach a settlement that both sides recognize as a positive outcome, especially when weighed against the downside risk of a court hearing.

The mediator can't and won't force you into a settlement. A divorce lawyer experienced in family law mediation, however, can do a great deal to keep the discussion focused on the issues, keep personal conflicts and resentments off to the side, and increase the chances that the disputing parties will find a common ground for resolution. One of the real advantages of mediation is the possibility that the parties themselves can brainstorm a solution that would never occur to a judge or even your own attorney.

You'll still be represented by a lawyer. At the Collaborative Law Group in Maryland, we make sure that you're well prepared to get the most out of your divorce or family law mediation sessions. We'll help you define your primary and secondary goals, spot areas where you can afford to make concessions, and develop convincing talking points that can advance your objectives.

Family law attorney Jac Knust's experience with family law mediation can help you understand the process and take advantage of what it has to offer. As a seasoned mediator who serves on three different court-approved family law mediation lists, he can serve both as counsel to people who need advice about the mediation process and as a third-party neutral available to facilitate mediation sessions for other lawyers' clients in Baltimore and eastern Maryland.

Mediation is highly suitable for the resolution of practically any disputed issue that can arise in a divorce or between unmarried parents:

• Alimony or spousal support
• Property division or debt division issues
• Child custody or visitation
• Modification or enforcement issues
• Problems between domestic partners or same-sex couples
• Support or custody disputes between unmarried parents

For additional information about the ways that family and divorce mediation can benefit you while keeping control of dispute resolution processes in your own hands, contact the Collaborative Law Group in Ellicott City.