Mediation online and mediation in-person follow different paths to restore peace in the family through confidential, collaborative agreements. Online mediation offers convenience (no commute required), more flexible hours, and lower fees. I work primarily online, offering divorce mediation, family mediation, and elder mediation.
Divorce mediation offers a way forward with dignity to reach agreements that meet your needs for parenting plans, child support, spousal support (if needed), division of assets and debts, or modification of existing orders. Family mediation can address many potential issues resulting from major life transitions: pre-marital and post-marital agreements, business difficulties within family-owned businesses, elder care issues, and more.
I mediate primarily online, serving Southern California from Claremont, CA, and Altadena, CA. I have mediated 230+ divorce or family cases in California since 2006. I have been privileged to attend some of the best mediation training available with Jim Melamed and Colin Rule, Michael Lang, and Woody Mosten. My experience as an attorney included service in the US Navy JAG Corps (USNR), service as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, six years as Assistant County Counsel in Jackson County, OR, and four years of private-sector family law service in Jackson and Josephine Counties in Oregon.
I have been fortunate to train with some of the best trainers in the business. My first divorce mediation training was with Jim Melamed before there was Mediate.com. I have also trained with Colin Rule, Woody Mosten, and Michael Lang. I have mediated 220+ cases. Most of the mediations were for divorce, but I have also mediated pre-marital agreements, adult family/elder issues, and claims related to family-owned businesses. I offer a 30-minute consultation via Zoom that is free if both spouses or two+ parties attend. Most of my mediations occur online but meeting in person is once again an option. Please inquire.
My approach to mediation begins with respect, respect for you, the parties, and respect for the process that we will develop together. I assist you, the parties, to find common ground from which you can build your agreements. For divorce mediation, the label that best suits my style is either “pragmatic” or “facilitative”. For elder /adult family mediation, I tend more toward the “transformative” end of the mediation spectrum. I will choose any tool or process that seems likely at the time to help you, the clients, to reach your mediation goals.
I have attended 650+ hours of ADR/Mediation training.
My hourly fee for online mediation is $220/hr. The usual range for a comprehensive divorce mediation with a marital settlement agreement is about 10 hours to 12 hours for online mediation ($2,200 to $2,640) when there are no minor children or up to 14.5 hours with minor children ($3,190). In-person mediation frequently takes a bit longer. It is possible to have some sessions in person and some online. Court documents are not included but referrals are available. Please inquire.
I offer a discount to active duty service members, their families, and military retirees. For military service members, their families, and retirees, I reduce my hourly fee from $220 per hour to $200 per hour. Please inquire.
A Limited Scope Mediation refers to one or two online sessions, with a short written summary of the session. It does not include a mediated Marital Settlement Agreement. Please inquire.
Premarital conversations can be hourly, or a set fee for an agreed amount of time. Please inquire.
