Preparing for Your Divorce Mediation

Attorney Darren M. Shapiro Esq. has gathered a wealth of experience in the realms of matrimonial and family law over the course of numerous years. During that time, he has also established himself as a trained and effective mediator, helping couples come to mutual agreements regarding family law issues, child custody, child support, separation, equitable distribution and divorce arrangements. When conducting a mediation, Mr. Shapiro aims to help couples find solutions to their problems that work for both parties. As such, the process of mediation itself can often be seen as a good way for couples to maintain an amicable relationship following a divorce – something that is particularly important when children are involved. Clients who opt for mediation with Mr. Shapiro can help themselves with an easier and less contested way of dealing complex concerns.

In his time as a certified mediator, Darren Shapiro has been presented with a wide range of cases from a diverse set of backgrounds. Each couple comes with their own particular situations, worries and nuances to consider, and that is one of the reasons why Mr. Shapiro dedicates so much effort to tailoring his services to suit the parties needs. However, one thing that he has noticed rather frequently is that a lot of people are not sure how to prepare, or what to expect from mediation.

It’s perfectly natural to feel nervous about the concept of negotiating a future with your ex-spouse, but the first thing that Mr. Shapiro aims to cover with his clients, is the fact that mediation is intended to help resolve disputes in a healthy and calm way. In order to come to an agreement with the other party, each party will need the other to cooperate in the pursuit of conclusions that are beneficial to both people. However, mediation should not be seen as a practice of debate that requires individuals to argue over whose point of view is correct. When you work with this office, you are not expected to convince the other party to adopt your way of thinking. Mr. Darren Shapiro does not use the mediation process to assign blame or punishment, and for success to be achieved, the concept must be approached from a voluntary perspective.

To ensure that you move throughout the mediation process with as much success and ease as possible, Darren Shapiro will give you complete and thorough guidance throughout. However, there are some things that people can do, although it is not required, to help themselves prepare. First of all, though it is possible for mediation to take place without client information at hand, some find it helpful to assemble the important documents that they need ahead of schedule. These documents may include a list of the various assets that need to be considered, including:

• Mutual funds
• Retirement funds
• Brokerage accounts
• Bank accounts
• Vehicles
• Businesses
• Time Shares
• Real Estate
• Household contents
• Equity and annuities
• Stock
• Pending law-suits

If you or your partner currently own interest within a business, it will be helpful to inform Mr. Shapiro as quickly as possible.

Another aspect that is important in the process of ensuring that mediation works well for you, is defining a good understanding of your legal obligations and rights. Although Mr. Darren Shapiro will provide you with all of the information that you request about the mediation procedure, many clients find that it is useful to do their own research and discover as much information as possible about the process ahead of time. If you feel concerned about any of the information that you read, or discover that you are left with a number of pressing questions, the perfect time to discuss them will be presented to you during your free consultation with Mr. Shapiro. What’s more, review attorneys, that are discussed on one of our different webpages, are always a good idea to consult with during, prior to and following an agreement made during mediation. Mr. Shapiro generally recommends that all parties hire a review attorney to go over stipulations or settlements with if they have not been consulted with prior.

During the mediation process, you will be able to speak to Mr. Shapiro alone for short periods of time if you wish to discuss something out of the way of your ex-partner. Mr. Shapiro respects your rights to express your concerns in the way that is most comfortable for you, so simply ask for a few minutes alone if you need answers to some private questions that will not be discussed with the other party. However, at the same time, it’s important for clients to recognize that their ex-spouse may also make the same request, and they must respect the other parties’ right to private conversations as well.

Perhaps the best way to look at mediation is as a type of negotiation. Though the idea of divorce, separation, family law and child custody issues are all incredibly emotional in their nature, Mr. Shapiro encourages the parties through sympathetic guidance and understanding, to remain as clear headed as possible during the mediation process. Everyone can take the opportunity to think hard about the goals they would like to achieve through the mediation process. From there, Darren Shapiro can give guidance and help structure agreements on how they may achieve their goals within the scope of what is considered to be reasonably possible.

As an effective trained mediator, Mr. Darren M. Shapiro Esq. will always concentrate on providing solutions. As such, clients should always feel comfortable about expressing their concerns whenever necessary so that they might be appropriately discussed. During mediation, you will be given the opportunity to think about the issues that are most relevant to you. For example, you may be worried about the amount of parenting time you will get to spend with your children, or whether you will be able to continue your tradition of family vacations. No matter is too small to discuss with the right mediator, and no concern will ever be considered irrelevant. If you place trust in Mr. Shapiro and the process of mediation, you will often find that you accomplish a large majority of your intended outcomes.

To learn more about what mediation can do for you, or to simply educate yourself on the different avenues available when it comes to issues of family law, please reach out to us. Couples who are interested in engaging in Mr. Shapiro’s professional mediation services are encouraged to schedule their free thirty minute consultation, togethr with your spouse. Please get in touch and let us know what we can do for your legal needs, it would be our pleasure to assist you.