Julie V. Mersereau, Esq.
Rochester, NY
Divorce Mediation & Collaborative Family Law
Primary Practice Areas
Divorce Mediation
Separation, Divorce, Prenuptial Agreements, Child Custody & Visitation, and Parenting Plans
Collaborative Family Law
Separation, Divorce, Custody & Visitation, and Parenting Plans
Elder Mediation
Residential Decisions, Caregiving Responsibilities, Safety & Health Concerns, Sale of the Family Home, and Wills & Estates
Adoption Law
Private & Agency Adoption, Foster Care, Adoptive Parents, Birth Parents, Single Parents, and Same-Sex Parents
Marital Mediation
Mediation to Stay Married, Mediation Process for Couples Who Are Experiencing Marital Problems
Mersereau Law Office offers Mediation and Collaborative Law via online video conferencing.
Resolving disputes privately with dignity and respect.
“The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end after alternative methods of resolving disputes have been considered and tried.”
Meet Julie V. Mersereau, Esq.
Julie V. Mersereau, Esq.
Divorce Mediation & Collaborative Family Lawyer in Rochester, NY
Professional Affiliations: International Academy of Collaborative Professionals Collaborative Law Association of the Rochester Area, Inc. New York State Council on Divorce Mediation Rochester Association of Family Mediators Academy of Professional Family Mediators New York State Dispute Resolution Association, Inc. Association for Conflict Resolution Monroe County Bar Association New York State Bar Association
Julie V. Mersereau, Esq. graduated from Cornell University in 1981. Her undergraduate studies extensively explored family systems and the development of individuals from birth through adult life. This education has given Julie a knowledge base that assists in her work in the areas of family law and mediation. Julie graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 1984. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.
Julie received her mediation training through the Mediation Center, Inc, and the Center for Dispute Settlement, Inc. Julie also has extensive training in Collaborative Law. She is an active member in the Collaborative Law Association of the Rochester Area and the Rochester Association of Family Mediators.
Having been a practicing Family Law Attorney in the court based litigation system for over 25 years, Julie firmly believes that Mediation and Collaborative Law should be the primary processes for resolving family conflict. The court system was not designed to address the private individual needs of families.
Good lawyers know how to talk. Better lawyers know how to listen.
Julie V. Mersereau listens to her clients to truly understand their position in life, their needs, their concerns, and the challenges they face moving forward. She works with her clients so that they understand their options and choose the process that best meets their needs given their personal situation. It is this approach that has earned the trust and thanks from hundreds of clients that she has had the privilege of helping in a confusing and disruptive period of their lives. When you hire Mersereau Law Office you know that Julie Mersereau is going to personally and privately handle your matter.
Recent Divorce Law & Other Mediation Articles from Mersereau Law Office
Mediation to Stay Married: Divorce Is Not Your Only Option
Deciding if you need to separate or divorce is one of the most difficult decisions that a person can make. Most people get married and dream of living together for the rest of their lives. They create the “story” of how they want their lives to be. If your story is not moving forward as planned, you may think divorce is the only way to get out of the bad situation. You may be told by family or friends that calling a lawyer is your first step to figuring out what to do. Lawyers are not in the business of keeping families intact. You need a process that helps you focus on identifying the problems in your marriage and creating a plan that works toward healing the marriage. You do not want to start a divorce process that you are not ready for. As an attorney who has spent most of her career handling family law and matrimonial cases, I can assure the reader that divorce resolution processes like Mediation and Collaborative Law are far better than litigation. The courts are not the...
Update on Child Support and Temporary Maintenance in NYS
For parents, attorneys, mediators and anyone else that has an interest in Child Support and Temporary Maintenance calculations there have been changes effective January 31, 2014. These changes are required by the statute to occur every year on January 31st. The new income levels that may affect the amount of a child support obligation are as follows: Combined Parental Income Amount: $141,000 Self-Support Reserve: $15,755 Poverty Income Guidelines Amount (single person): $11,670 You can find the New York State Child Support Standards Chart online at https://www.childsupport.ny.gov/dcse/pdfs/cssa_2013.pdf . This chart is released each year around April 1. The chart that is currently posted is the 2013 chart and does not include the new income levels referenced above. You should check online for the new chart in April. The new Income Cap under the Temporary Maintenance Guidelines has been adjusted from $524,000 to $543,000. You can find revisions to the Temporary Maintenance...
Divorce Mediation or Collaborative Law?
As a Divorce Mediator and Collaborative Law Attorney I am often asked what is the difference between mediation and collaborative law? And then I am asked “which process is going to be better for me?” The answer is not one-size- fits all. There are many factors to take into consideration. Each participant in the process has different needs, and couples have different needs and communication styles. I find the following chart useful to describe the both processes and how they differ. It is most important to speak with a professional divorce mediator and a collaborative law attorney to get your questions answered and to assist you in choosing with process best meets your needs. What is the difference between mediation and collaborative law? PARTICIPANTS- MEDIATION- -Husband, Wife, Mediator. -Parties can be referred to professionals outside of the process to assist with particular issues such as financial advice, mental health support or evaluations. COLLABORATIVE LAW- -Husband,...
Dividing Retirement Assets
DIVIDING RETIREMENT ASSETS – Getting it RIGHT so you can get it WRITTEN. Dividing retirement assets is an important issue for couples entering the process of separation and divorce. Retirement assets are often the most valuable marital assets a couple has along with their marital residence. Whether the couple is in mediation, using Collaborative Law, or negotiating in a traditional litigation model the first step is to gather all the information that is available about each asset before negotiating. It is very important to get all the details associated with each asset so they can be discussed and decisions can be made with full disclosure and informed consent. Once the parties have decided how they will be dividing retirement assets, a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) or a Domestic Relations Order (DRO) will be required to distribute the asset without tax and penalty associated with the transfer (with the exception of IRA transfers). There are different types of...
5 Considerable Advantages to Choosing Divorce Mediation / Collaborative Divorce
As a divorce mediator and collaborative law attorney, I am frequently asked what the benefits are to choosing divorce mediation or collaborative divorce, as opposed to proceeding with a traditional divorce. There are many advantages to both mediation and collaborative law. Here we will touch on the most basic yet significant advantages which apply to both divorce mediation and collaborative divorce: Personal You and your spouse choose the process that meets your needs. You and your spouse make the decisions about how you go from being together as a couple, to being separated and moving forward individually. When you have children, you can focus on the outcome that meets your children’s needs, what parenting plan works for your family, and how the children can be supported emotionally and financially. Alternatively, in the litigation process of traditional divorce, the court often applies a cookie-cutter fix; it may not be what meets your children’s needs or your own needs. Private...
Balanced is the New Busy
“Balanced is the New Busy: Practicing Self-Care in a Frantic World” — Keynote Kristen Skarie. The New York State Council on Divorce Mediation is presenting a fantastic conference Saturday September 6, 2014 at the Inn on the Lake, in Canandaigua, New York where the Keynote Speaker- Kristen Skarie will speak on the topic “Balanced is the New Busy: Practicing Self-Care in a Frantic World”. This promises to be a great opportunity for to refresh our minds and add new skills to our toolkits as divorce mediators. The program includes tools for managing mental health concerns, best practices, pensions, spousal maintenance and issues related to the “Gray Divorce” (the over 50 age group). The venue is right on the shores of beautiful Canandaigua Lake, in the glorious Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York! We look forward to getting together with our fellow divorce mediators and any other individuals interested in the attending the program. You can find the registration form online...
Top Family, Divorce Attorney & Separation Lawyer in Rochester
Serving Rochester, NY & Beyond
Mersereau Law Office, PLLC
150 Allens Creek Rd., Suite 160
Rochester, NY 14618
Mersereau Law Office, PLLC
351 S. Warren St., Suite 200
Syracuse, NY 13202
Contact Mersereau Law Office, PLLC today for a prompt review of your options. Julie Mersereau can help you make the most informed decisions for what legal or mediation crossroads may be ahead. Virtual and remote consultation is available, as well as full-on virtual mediation and collaborative law services.