Divorce Mediation
Rochester, NY
Divorce Mediation Through Assisted Communication
An Experienced Divorce Mediator
Divorce Mediation is an option for going through separation and divorce by working together with your spouse and a mediator. Julie Mersereau is an Attorney Mediator who has over 30 years of experience as a Family Law Attorney, Mediator, and separation or divorce. The mediator acts as a neutral party. She will help you and your spouse or partner work together to create a settlement agreement for separation and divorce. You will make decisions about parenting, custody, child support, alimony also known as spousal support, and dividing property. The goal is to accomplish a “win – win” outcome wherein both parties have their needs and goals addressed and are “okay” with the end agreement.
A mediator’s role is to facilitate the resolution of the family dispute by assisting the parties to communicate. The mediator encourages understanding and focuses the participants on their individual and common interests. The mediator helps the participants to hear each other’s concerns, and to express their own concerns, thereby giving each participant a voice in the process. The mediator works with the participants to explore options, make decisions, and reach their own agreements.
As an Attorney Mediator, Julie Mersereau will prepare the legal agreement and the parties may choose to have an independent attorney review on their behalf. Julie Mersereau will also prepare the legal paperwork or court documents that are required for the divorce if both parties’ consent.
Mersereau Law Office offers Mediation and Collaborative Law via online video conferencing.
Mediation is a valuable option for many families because it can:
- Increase the self-determination of participants and their ability to communicate;
- Promote the best interests of children; and
- Reduce the economic and emotional costs associated with the resolution of family disputes.
Mediation is not counseling or therapy. The mediator may refer one or both participants to counseling or therapy or another professional to assist them with issues that may be impeding the process, or where the mediator determines that it may be helpful. Family mediation is not a substitute for independent legal advice. Participants are encouraged to hire an attorney to represent them at any stage of the process.
“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation.”
– martin luther king, jr.
- New York State Council on Divorce Mediation
- Academy of Professional Family Mediators
- Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR)
- The New York State Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA)
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
The New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (NYSCDM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the highest professional standards of divorce mediation. Among its services to the community, NYSCDM works actively to promote family wellness by increasing public awareness of mediation as the preferred process for divorce.
When the field of “Mediation” was emerging, a succession of national organizations also emerged to bring together professionals who had like-minded approaches to conflict. The first such organization was the FAMILY MEDIATION ASSOCIATION (FMA), which was founded in 1975 by O.J. “Jim” Coogler and several of his colleagues. Coogler’s book, Structured Mediation in Divorce Settlement, was the very first book published in the field of divorce mediation. The second organization, The ACADEMY OF FAMILY MEDIATORS, (AFM), was founded in 1981 by John Haynes, Steve Erickson, and other colleagues, and it became the primary national membership association of family mediators in the U.S. At first, AFM provided divorce mediation training, in order to raise seed money to get the organization started. By the mid-1980s, AFM had an Executive Director (Jim Melamed), and a newsletter (Mediation News) and journal (Mediation Quarterly), which were benefits for all members. By the mid-1990s, AFM had grown to a membership of 4000 plus.
The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) is a professional organization enhancing the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution.
The New York State Dispute Resolution Association, Inc. (NYSDRA) is a not-for-profit membership organization committed to the promotion of quality conflict management and peaceful dispute resolution. Through leadership, education, promotion of professional standards and training and development of innovative statewide programs, NYSDRA provides opportunities for people, communities, organizations and businesses to effectively respond to conflict.
AFCC is the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – the premier interdisciplinary and international association of professionals dedicated to the resolution of family conflict. AFCC members are the leading practitioners, researchers, teachers and policymakers in the family court arena.
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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...
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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.