Amherst Mediation Services

Mediation is a cost-effective alternative to litigation. In addition to divorce mediation, Amherst Mediation offers mediation services in various areas of law including post-divorce, gay and lesbian divorce and separation, guardianships, landlord-tenant, business disputes and contract disputes.

Amherst Mediation offers an initial free half hour consultation where the mediator meets with both parties to discuss the process and answer questions. It is important that the participants feel comfortable with their mediator and for me to assess and make sure that the mediation process makes sense for them.

People coming into mediation are overwhelmed by the process. This is understandable. Divorcing couples for instance are often dealing with every major aspect of their lives: children, houses, pensions, life insurance and health insurance. Couples often do not know where to begin in unraveling and figuring out these issues. Do not worry, as that is your mediator's job. Your mediator will help you identify the issues that you need to address and start to help you address them one by one. Once you have reached an agreement on all the issues, your mediator will prepare an agreement. In a divorce mediation the mediator will prepare a separation agreement for you which you can file with the court and will also provide you with the forms you need and a detailed explanation of the process. A more detailed description of divorce mediation can be found at Behind the Scenes at Amherst Mediation.

• Goals of Divorce Mediation
• Behind The Scenes at Amherst Mediation
• Amherst Mediation FAQ
• Divorce Mediation Cost Savings
• Amherst Mediation Links

In my ongoing effort to provide my clients with the widest range possible of solutions that meets their needs, in 2004 began offering collaborative law as yet another alternative approach to resolving divorces and other domestic relations issues. In the collaborative law model, I represent my clients just as I would in the traditional litigation approach. The primary difference however is that both lawyers and both clients sign a contract that the matter will be handled without resorting to the courts to resolve disputes. If a client decides to utilize the courts during the divorce process, both attorneys must withdraw and both clients need to retain new attorneys. To read more about Collaborative Law, click here.

I have been actively involved in promoting and teaching mediation. I am former President of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation (MCFM) and am a certified mediator with MCFM (see www.mcfm.org) I am currently active with the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR). (www.acresoltion.org) and have achieved Advanced Practitioner level with ACR. In addition to my law and mediation practice I also co-founded ConflictWorks through which I conduct conflict resolution training workshops for organizations and businesses.

I have taught numerous continuing legal education seminars on topics involving family law and have been involved in many family law related committees. Since its creation, I have been secretary of Parents and Children in Transition, an approved parent education program in Northampton, MA and the pilot program for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I have been on a panel to create legislation for Parenting coordinators and assisted in setting up a conciliation program in the Hampshire County Probate and Family Court.

I have participated on numerous panels of continuing legal education seminars and have taught workshops at numerous conferences on topics in the area of family mediation and family law including the following:

Panelist:

• "Family Law Motion Practice" - Massachusetts Continuing Education (MCLE) - 1995
• "Settlement Options in Divorce"- (MCLE) - 1996
• "Practical Skills Workshop: Divorce Demystified"- (MCLE) - 1996, 1997, 1999
• "Updating Your Boilerplate"- Massachusetts Bar Association - 1996
• "Mediation for Gay, Lesbian and Unmarried Couples"- Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation Workshop- 1996
• "Drafting Separation Agreements: Can You be Neutral?"- Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation Conference Workshop- 1996
• "Superglue or Velcro: How to Get Unstuck During Mediation"- Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation Conference Workshop- 1998
• "On What Level are We Mediating?"- Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation Conference Workshop-2000
• "The Joy of Conflict"- University of Massachusetts-1998
• "Divorce Mediation Training" 30 hour course- The Mediation and Training Collaborative- May 2004 and May 2006
• "To be or not to be… Directive? Transformative?"- Association of Conflict Resolution Family Section Conference- Denver, CO Summer 2003
• "When Disputes Arise"- Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts Chapter- Marlborough, MA May 2006
• "First and last Impressions- How I Open and Close a Mediation", Association of Conflict Resolution Family Section Conference- Cape Cod, MA July 2006