TED Talk: Lawyer As Peacemaker
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:
Tag Archive for: mediation
Full Service Pro Se Mediation For Less Than $3,500
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 $3,500.
Here is how:
Divorce Without Lawyers – A Mediation Option in Tampa Bay
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.
You have the option of going through pro se mediation (mediation without legal representation).
Face-to-Face Mediation
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.
Rather, when I act as the neutral mediator, I prefer to practice face-to-face mediation.
Money Talk 1010 AM: Mediation Divorce and Collaborative Divorce
I recently had the opportunity to appear on Money Talk 1010 AM on the “Let’s Talk Law” Radio Program.
I was joined by Pasco and Pinellas family law attorney Audrey Jefferis, and we discussed, among other things, the similarities and differences between mediation divorce and collaborative divorce. The radio program, which you can listen to after the jump, was recorded in the St. Petersburg studios of Beasely Broadcasting.
Florida Supreme Court Certifies Adam B. Cordover As Family Mediator
Family Diplomacy managing attorney Adam B. Cordover has been certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Family Mediator. Certification is reserved for those who meet the Florida Supreme Court’s qualifications, attend a 40-hour mediation course, and engage in observations and co-mediations for training purposes.
We Now Offer Divorce Mediation
The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover is proud to offer divorce and family law mediation for families throughout the greater Tampa Bay Area. Attorney Adam B. Cordover has successfully completed a 40-hour mediation program sponsored by the Conflict Resolution Collaborative center of the University of South Florida.
Podcast: Comparing Collaborative Divorce and Mediation
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Garin Vick in Tampa, Florida, where we recorded an interview for his podcast show, Divorce without Destruction. We discussed the similarities and differences between collaborative divorce and mediation.
We talked about how both are forms of private dispute resolution that are better than duking it out in court. We also discussed how the structure and the process of collaborative divorce and mediation differ, and what it means for families going through or considering divorce.
Video: A Former Family Law Judge’s Perspective
Judge Michael Porter, a former family law judge, discusses topics ranging from Judge Judy, to emotional versus legal family issues, to alternative forms of dispute resolution (such as collaborative practice and mediation) in the following video:
Appellate Judges Discuss Collaborative Divorce in Meeting of Hillsborough and Pinellas Family Law Attorneys and Judges
I recently had the opportunity to attend a joint meeting of the Tampa Bay Family Law Inn of Court and Pinellas County’s Canakaris Inn of Court. The guest speakers were three judges from Florida’s Second District Court of Appeals: Chris Altenbernd, Edward C. LaRose, and Robert Morris. I had the opportunity to discuss collaborative divorce with the appellate judges. The following excerpt of a Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay article describes a portion of the meeting and my discussions:
Judge Chris Altenbernd (who served as chief judge from 2003-2005) observed that, by the time divorce and paternity cases reach the appellate level, both parties have almost invariably already lost:
“You have families that are being torn apart, and the parties are arguing often for the sake of arguing, not putting children’s issues and the families’ financial future first.”
Judges Edward C. LaRose and Robert Morris agreed.
The Second D.C.A.’s Judge Chris Altenbernd and CDITB Membership Chair Adam B. Cordover Discuss Collaborative Divorce (April 4, 2012)
Judge LaRose then asked the attorneys in the audience whether collaborative practice was being utilized in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay membership chair Adam B. Cordover answered their question. “The practice of collaborative family law is growing in Tampa Bay. Last year, the Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay provided training to instruct more attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial experts on how to handle collaborative divorce cases in a way that is private, individually-tailored, respectful, and takes into account the best interests of any children involved. In short, we collaborative professionals are carrying out the ideal of ‘therapeutic jurisprudence.’”
Judge Altenbernd later relayed to Mr. Cordover that he supports the collaborative process, especially in divorce cases where issues of child custody and parenting plans are involved. ”I just think more people need to seriously consider the family-focused process of collaborative divorce rather than fight it out in the court system.”
Attorney Adam B. Cordover has completed advanced training in interdisciplinary collaborative family law. He is on the Board of the Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay and is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
If you have questions regarding collaborative divorce and you wish to speak with a Tampa Bay collaborative attorney, contact The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., at (813) 443-0615 or by completing our online form.
