Would You Go to an Unlicensed Divorce Mediator?

When you undergo medical care or surgery of any kind, you take for granted that the doctor has completed rigorous training, has earned a degree and holds a license to practice medicine as required by New York law and regulations. New York does not, however, regulate every profession that closely. Divorce mediators are not required to obtain any licenses or certifications in order to practice in our state.

Essentially anyone can call themselves a divorce mediator and open a mediation business. Many people who choose to do so happen to be involved in fields related to relationships. Family counselors and psychologists, for example, are capable of doing good work in terms of helping couples understand each other better and work out their differences.

But the fact remains that the goal of divorce mediation is to create a written agreement that accounts for all the complexities in a case while meeting any and all legal requirements under New York family law. The agreement reached in mediation will be submitted to a judge, who will closely scrutinize it before granting approval. Agreements that don’t meet legal standards can easily be rejected, sending the couple back to square one.

The lack of a licensing requirement for mediators is one reason why many couples benefit from working with lawyer during mediation. Having an attorney involved in mediation can make the process more effective for several reasons:

• Attorneys licensed to practice law in New York know the legal process and the expectations of judges.
• Attorneys know New York family law intimately from having devoted their careers to this field.
• Lawyers often have a network of professionals who can assist in the mediation, including tax professionals, financial advisors, child specialists and others who bring specialized knowledge to the table.

With all of that said, there are people who simply do not want a lawyer involved in their mediation, except at the end to review the agreement before submitting it to court. At Solutions Divorce Mediation, we fully understand this desire and that is why we have built a team that includes several highly experienced non-attorney mediators. We help our clients to end their marriages their way, whether they want to use an attorney as a mediator or not.

The Solutions Divorce Mediation team serves clients in Nassau County, Suffolk County and across Long Island. We are ready to help you through the divorce process and move forward in life. Start the process by getting a free consultation with a team member. Call 1.631.683.8172 or contact us online. We are available seven days a week.