Hamilton Area Mediator

Mediation is another cooperative approach to settlement of family law issues. A neutral mediator works with the parties directly to help them reach an agreement in principle. Even if the mediator is a lawyer, she does not provide legal advice to either party and does not make any decisions for them. Mediation does not replace legal advice. It may be necessary for the parties to break out of mediation to work with their lawyers during the course of mediation for advice about the legal issues and their lawyers’ recommendations about decisions to be made when mediation resumes.

At the end of a successful mediation process, the mediator prepares a Memorandum of Understanding, a written account of the parties’ agreement – their “agreement to agree”. It is not a settlement agreement in final form to be signed. Instead, this written document provides the framework for the Separation Agreement prepared by the parties’ lawyers. Each party should receive legal advice individually before signing the Separation Agreement.

Other Services Provided by Family Law Solutions:

• Collaborative Partnership Agreements
• Cohabitation Agreements
• Marriage Contracts (Prenuptial Agreements or “Pre-Nups”)

Love and Collaborative Practice

Collaborative relationship planning promotes stability for couples at all stages of life, in all forms of relationship, including:

• couples planning marriage or re-marriage.
• couples planning to live together in unmarried, committed relationships.
• married or cohabiting couples.

Working together and with your collaborative lawyers, you and your partner will consider, define, and confirm in a binding agreement elements of your planned or existing partnership, including financial roles and responsibilities. This includes the opportunity to define for yourselves what will happen if the relationship ends (rather than relying on the law exclusively to determine your rights and responsibilities).