FAMILY LAW MEDIATION IN TAMPA BAY

When most people think of divorce, they have in mind a process where they let a judge decide how property is divided, where the kids sleep at night, and how much financial support is paid. But most families would be better off making these types of life-altering decisions on their own, rather than leave them up to an overworked public official. That is why Family Diplomacy offers private alternatives to litigation, including Collaborative Practice and mediation, which can be used in divorce, paternity, and other family law matters.

A VOLUNTARY DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW PROCESS

Mediation is a voluntary process where you and your spouse meet with a neutral and impartial professional who helps you reach an agreement. The mediator cannot decide issues or impose a settlement; a binding decision will be reached only if both parties agree on its terms. Further, mediation provides you with the flexibility to agree to terms that a judge would never order to meet the particular needs of your family.

What Is Co-Mediation?

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Many people who are getting divorced want to reach an agreement with their spouse, but they need some help to do so.  Though non-adversarial options such as collaborative practice allow those who need more support to each have their own attorney to provide them advice, not everyone wants to be represented by an attorney.

For those people, co-mediation may be a perfect option.  And Family Diplomacy is proud to be one of the leading firms in Tampa Bay to offer co-mediation services.

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Video: Florida Lawyer on Why She No Longer Litigates

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I no longer litigate.  This means that I do not appear in contested court hearings in Tampa or any other area in which I practice.  I have made this decision because I have found that most people who are divorcing do not want to tear down their spouse in court; rather they want to move on with their lives, as peacefully, privately, and quickly as possible.

In the video below, collaborative attorney Enid Miller Ponn Discusses why she no longer litigates:

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Video: Mediators Beyond Borders at United Nations

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Mediation is not just for divorce.  It is a form of dispute resolution that is being used to help prevent and mitigate disputes and issues internationally, such as Colombia peacemaking initiatives and efforts to address climate change.

In the video below the jump, Tampa mediator and past president of Mediators Beyond Borders Lynn Cole, Esq., addresses the United Nations about the use of mediation internationally.  This address took place in May 2012.

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Cordover Intern Trainer at Mosten 40-Hour Mediation Training

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Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator Adam B. Cordover served as an Intern Trainer for Forrest (Woody) Mosten’s 40-Hour Family Law Mediation Training.  The training took place September 13-17, 2016, in Los Angeles, California.

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Woody Mosten has been on the cutting edge of the law for over four decades as a leading figure in legal clinics, unbundled legal services, mediation, and collaborative law.  He literally wrote the book on these subjects, as he is the author or co-author of seminal works in the field, including the Mediation Career Guide, Collaborative Divorce Handbook, the Complete Guide to Mediation, and Unbundling Legal Services.

Further, Woody Mosten and Adam B. Cordover have been tasked by the American Bar Association to write a book on Building A Successful Collaborative Law Practice, which is expected to be published in early 2017.

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Helping Divorce Lawyers Become Peacemakers

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I am a collaborative family law attorney.  I help families divorce privately and respectfully so that they can end their marriage but also begin their post-marriage life as peacefully as possible.

I am also a trainer.  I train attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial professionals how to offer collaborative services to divorcing couples and others handling family law matters.

This past weekend I was in Chicago at a master class led by Forrest (Woody) Mosten on how to train in a way that lets divorce attorneys and others know that they can do well by doing good.  Woody is a leading collaborative attorney and mediator, as well as a best-selling author out of Beverly Hills, California.  He also happens to be a friend of mine, a mentor, and my co-author for an upcoming American Bar Association book on Building A Successful Collaborative Law Practice.

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The class, which included 15 hand-selected attorneys and mental health professionals from around the U.S. and Canada, was described by Canadian social worker and media personality Gary Direnfeld as follows:

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What Is The Least Expensive Way To Divorce In Tampa Bay?

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You have probably heard of divorce horror stories where couples have suffered for years entrenched in court battles and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.  Fortunately, this is more the exception  than the rule, but still, divorce usually is not cheap.  It is a process, and there are raw emotions involved, but there are methods that can cost more or less.

So what is the least expensive way to divorce?

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TED Talk: Lawyer As Peacemaker

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Harvard Law Professor and Collaborative Attorney David A. Hoffman recently gave a TED Talk on “Lawyer as Peacemaker.”

You can find the TED Talk after the jump:

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Full Service Pro Se Mediation For Less Than $2,500

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If you are going through divorce, you should retain an attorney.  Only an attorney can provide you with legal advice that serves your interests.

However, many people, for whatever reason, choose not to hire a lawyer.  And yet, they need help reaching an agreement and filling out all the appropriate paperwork.  For those people, Family Diplomacy offers Pro Se Mediation, also known as mediation without lawyers.

In Pro Se Mediation, Adam B. Cordover will serve as a neutral mediator to help you and your spouse reach an agreement.  As Adam is not acting as a lawyer, he cannot provide legal advice to either spouse.  Pro Se Mediation is a private and cost-effective method to resolve issues related to divorce, and it can be done for a total cost of less than $2,500.

Here is how:

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Divorce Without Lawyers – A Mediation Option in Tampa Bay

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If you are going through divorce, you should have a lawyer.  Divorce is one of life’s traumatic moments, and it is smart to have a steady hand to advise you during uncertain times.

However, you don’t need to have a lawyer to get divorced.

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You have the option of going through pro se mediation (mediation without legal representation).

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Face-to-Face Mediation

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I have noticed lately that there is a trend among divorce mediators in Tampa Bay: keep spouses separate from one another.  This is known as “caucus”-style mediation, where the spouses are kept in separate rooms from the very beginning of mediation, and the mediator travels back and forth between the rooms relaying information and offers.

There is a good reason why many great mediators prefer caucus-style mediation.  As divorce is a highly-emotional process, spouses can set each other off when they are facing one another, and negotiations can descend into argument and cease being productive.

I can see where caucus-style mediation may be appropriate for some families, but it is not my preferred method.

acordover_logoRather, when I act as the neutral mediator, I prefer to practice face-to-face mediation.

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