Mediation: Save Time and Money

Two of the biggest benefits associated with divorce mediation are that it saves you both time and money.

While it is technically possible to settle a case without mediation by having lawyers negotiate back and forth, these negotiations will add up quickly in terms of expense, and you’ll likely end up spending more than if you had gone to mediation.

Mediation helps speed the process along because it gathers everyone into the same room together, and there is an element of urgency as the clock continues to run on the session.

Finding the balance

It’s important to note that there is still some expense associated with mediation, and just because it is less expensive than litigation does not mean it is “cheap.” It is in everyone’s best interest to use the time laid out for mediation sessions as efficiently as possible, and to be ready to negotiate in good faith to avoid delays. You’ll still be paying the mediator’s fee, plus fees for your lawyer’s time.

It can be helpful to have a mediation memo written by your lawyer that lays out all the main issues of your divorce, provides general background and highlights where you disagree with your spouse, where you’re willing to compromise and some of the areas on which you’re stuck.

This memo gets delivered to the mediator a couple days before mediation so they can already have some background about the case and come prepared with strategies to move forward, rather than having to engage in some fact-finding processes themselves.

Giving the mediator this information in advance saves everyone’s time and increases the potential financial savings you can benefit from in the process.

For more information about the benefits of mediation, contact an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer at Solutions Divorce Mediation.