Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the costly, stressful, and time-consuming courtroom litigation process. At Stange Law Firm, PC, we are on the cutting edge of ADR in divorce, including mediation and collaborative divorce. Our lawyers can help you through every aspect of preparing for divorce, including:

Choosing the right mediator: One of the most important things you can do to make your mediation work is to choose a neutral mediator with whom both you and your spouse are comfortable working. If one of the parties feels uncomfortable or is intimidated by the mediator, the sessions will not work as well.
Fostering the right attitude: Compared to more traditional courtroom litigation, ADR is a cooperative process that involves calm discussions and openness to being creative. If you come into your mediation or collaborative divorce session ready to battle it out, the process will not work and it will be a waste of time for everyone involved.
Get your finances together: Just like divorce litigation, it is important to have a full grasp of the state of your finances and your expectations going into the proceedings. Talk this over with your attorney to make sure everything is organized in this regard.
Behave: It is important to act appropriately during your divorce, as your actions could have a negative impact on your parenting plan and other issues that arise. If you are in a high-profile divorce especially, issues like social media postings can be extremely important.
Trust your attorney: Working with Stange Law Firm, PC, you can trust your lawyer to know ADR thoroughly, walk you through every step of the process, and protect your interests.

Prioritizing Your Interests ∙ A Key To Successful Mediation

Whether you use a positional or interest-based approach to mediation, it is important to know what the most important issues are to you before entering into a negotiation. For many clients, it is worth the time to literally make a list, put it in order of importance for the purpose of clarity, and discuss it with your attorney.

For some divorcing parties, having as much time with the children and decision-making authority in their lives make up the most important aspect of the divorce negotiations. Other clients are very concerned about dividing the assets or other divorce-related issues.

Working out a priority list and discussing it with a trusted lawyer from our firm in advance of the mediation session has numerous benefits. First, you will receive sound counsel. We will use our experience and knowledge to make sure you have realistic expectations going into the negotiations, and that you set your priorities accordingly. Second, having a clear priority list gives you leverage in the negotiations. You can “exchange” the aspects of the divorce that don’t matter as much to you for the things that do. Third, this type of preparation streamlines the process and minimizes stress.

The reality in divorce is that no one gets everything they want. However, in the heat of the moment, many people instinctively fight over every detail in divorce, especially in high-asset divorces with significant and diversified properties involved. At Stange Law Firm, PC, we can help you prioritize so that we spend our energy advocating for the things that are most important to you.