Long Island Family Law and Mediation Blog
Rockland County Divorce Mediation: Virtual and In-Person
Divorce is complicated. No matter how your marriage ends, there’s more than just an emotional toll to navigate for those seeking out divorce. You also need to make a number of complex decisions, which can have a massive impact on your future. While litigation and lawyer to lawyer negotiation are often common ways to handle a divorce, it’s not always the most convenient, or comfortable option. I am a big fan of divorce mediation, which now can be done online, so to speak, or virtually with a trained New York divorce mediator regardless of everyone’s locations.
For residents of Rockland County, New York, working with a divorce mediator may represent a less stressful, time-consuming, and expensive alternative. My years as both a family law attorney, New York divorce mediator, and practicing litigation lawyer, have given me a first-hand insight into the law, and various processes and just how effective divorce mediation as the chosen process can be.
For many couples, it offers a way to avoid spending long hours in court rooms, or the tedious preparation for the time in court. It is a better way to maintain more control over your choices, and even preserve some of the relationship you may still have with your ex. I believe every couple should have an opportunity to access the benefits of divorce mediation. That’s why I offer flexible in-person and virtual mediation sessions to residents of Rockland County and beyond.
If you believe mediation might be the right path for you and your soon-to-be ex-partner, here are some of the reasons you might consider choosing me as your Rockland County or New York divorce mediator.
A Local Source of Mediation Support
I grew up in New City, New York, and lived there all my life until I went away to college after graduating from Clarkstown South High School. Only after I returned home to New City, after law school graduation, did I eventually move out to Long Island when I got my first job with a Long Island law firm. In a world where virtual mediation sessions held over Zoom and similar channels are becoming more common (and popular), accessing the support of a local mediator may not seem as crucial. However, it’s still worthwhile to work with someone who has an in-depth understanding of the legal landscape of New York State, like me, and the divorce process.
As a local resident of New York, living in Suffolk County, I’ve spent my life learning all about this unique state, and its many boroughs and regions. Rockland County, only around an hour’s drive from my office (depending on time of day) in Nassau County, is more than just a beautiful landscape, known for the Hudson river. It’s also one of the most densely populated counties outside of New York City, Nassau, and Westchester County.
Not only have I spent much of my early life there, having been raised in Rockland County, and exploring its world-leading state parks, but I’ve also had an opportunity to work with individuals going through family law and matrimonial issues in either the family or Supreme Court of Rockland County. My intimate local knowledge and experience, combined with my history in divorce and family law makes me a unique and convenient source of guidance for Rockland County residents.
What’s more, because my office in Nassau County is only a short drive away from Rockland County, I can easily offer comfortable face-to-face sessions to any client who wants to meet with me in person, rather than doing divorce mediation online. Nowadays electronic filing of uncontested divorce documents, after a settlement is reached in mediation or otherwise, is done by divorce lawyers, like me, wherever they are located. Because of electronic filing and virtual divorce mediation, it is very simple to work with individuals all over the entire State of New York as their divorce mediator from the comfort of my Long Island office.
A True Advocate for the Potential of Divorce Mediation
As a divorce lawyer and family law attorney, I know there are instances where mediation may not be suitable for certain couples. In some cases, for people that are not willing to save the time, expense, and emotional turmoil that litigation often entails, the only way for a couple to come to an agreement on what should happen at the end of their marriage is to consider litigation. However, I have also seen first-hand just how successful and effective mediation can be for many New York residents.
Even before the courts of New Yorks implemented presumptive divorce mediation, I was already advocating for mediation and other alternative dispute resolution methods. After I was first admitted to the New York State Bar in January 1999, my professional journey gave me a range of opportunities to look at the divorce process from different angles.
I found my passion for family law working with the Assigned Panel of Suffolk County in approximately 2004 and opened my own law office first in Suffolk County Long Island then in Nassau County, Long Island shortly after. In 2012, after significant mediation training, I decided to begin officially offering divorce mediation services to my clients. Initially, all of these sessions were hosted in-person. However, when the pandemic hit, I discovered the benefits of offering “virtual” sessions over Zoom. You can call it online divorce mediation, being a digital divorce mediator, or virtual divorce mediation.
Since then, I’ve continued to see plenty of evidence that divorce mediation can not only reduce the stress of the divorce experience, but also save the people I work with time and money too.
A Comprehensive, But Flexible Approach
I believe that offering couples a flexible, yet comprehensive divorce mediation service goes beyond simply allowing them to choose between in-person and virtual sessions. My office can support clients with every stage of the mediation process, from initial discussions and negotiations, all the way through to the point of e-filing documents with the relevant Rockland county or local county Supreme courts.
Since every marriage and divorce is different, I use a variety of techniques throughout the process, to ensure the best possible approach to every couple. Sometimes, this may mean starting with “interest based” negotiation techniques, which ensure I can give each client the opportunity to fully express and clarify their priorities and concerns before agreements are made.
Since excellent outcomes from mediation generally rely on productive conversations, I also regularly use facilitative mediation strategies, to help objectively guide discussions towards their resolutions. This could involve using open-ended questions to get to the heart of a reason behind a client’s request, or it could mean simply ensuring both parties get plenty of time to air their concerns. The truth is I am not tied to any one approach, each couple is different, and we will generally flow with what is working for the couple.
What’s more, my unique experiences as a family law attorney mean I can bring insights other mediators might not have into our discussions. For example, using evaluative mediation techniques, I can give parties a behind-the-scenes views of how their cases might be seen by a court, allowing them to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of different positions while we tackle the issues of child custody, parenting time, child support, and equitable distribution of marital assets and debt.
Your Rockland County Divorce Mediator
Over the years, I’ve seen plenty of evidence that mediation can deliver phenomenal results for couples who want an easier, less painful approach to divorce than standard litigation. However, finding the right mediator for your needs can be easier said than done.
I believe it’s important for every couple to have the opportunity to try mediation, if they believe it might be suitable for their situation. That’s why I strive to make my services as accessible and convenient as possible, to everyone throughout New York.
If you’re located in Rockland County, you can choose to access my mediation services either through a virtual platform like Zoom, in person, or through a combination of the two. You can book your initial consultation with your partner through the contact form on this website or reach out to my office over the phone with any questions you might have.