Long Island Family Law and Mediation Blog
Relationships can end for a variety of reasons, but even if the split is amicable, most couples want to part ways with a dispute resolution method that’s as painful and convenient as possible.
That’s one of the reasons why divorce mediation is so popular in New York and the rest of the country. It can offer a less stressful alternative to litigation, and can even save couples time and money when ending their marriage. However, while couples in Ulster County, New York, have had access to divorce mediation services for some time, their options for choosing the right divorce mediator have often been limited.
A focus on face-to-face mediation sessions over the years has prompted many people to choose local mediation services, even if they don’t adhere to their specific needs. Fortunately, virtual mediation is now an option, allowing mediators like me to conduct meetings with Ulster County couples through channels like Zoom, and e-file documents with the courts.
Here’s your guide to the divorce mediation services I offer to Ulster County residents.
The Rise of Ulster County Divorce Mediation Services
Situated on the Hudson River, Ulster County is an incredible place, known for it’s beautiful parks, scenery, and stunning architecture. The location is home to over 181,000 residents, and countless visitors flock to the region every year, to visit locations like Lake Minnewaska.
However, no matter where you live in New York, there’s always a chance you’ll need to access the support of an attorney, or divorce mediator. indicating just how important it is for couples here to have access to the right support and guidance, if they choose to end their marriage.
Situated around 2 hours and 35 minutes from Ulster County by car (depending on conditions), my office in Jericho, New York, Nassau County, Long Island may not seem like the most convenient option for Ulster County residents initially. Many couples have chosen to stick with local mediators, to avoid long travelling distances. However, this has also limited their ability to access the right mediator for their needs.
Now that I can offer virtual divorce mediation sessions, I can ensure residents of Ulster County, as well as couples located all throughout Long Island and New York have the freedom to choose the mediator that’s best for them, without compromising convenience.
Family Law Insights and Legal Expertise
I strive to differentiate my services from other mediators in New York in a range of ways, with a commitment to excellent client care, and tailored services. However, many of my clients believe my experience in divorce and family law is one of the biggest benefits I can offer. While all Ulster County divorce mediators should have a knowledge of family law to offer their services, they can approach mediation from a range of backgrounds and careers.
I know many mediators who have never practiced law, but have excellent experience in financial advice, or psychology. With around 25 years of experience as a member of the New York State Bar, I can offer unique insights to my clients that they may not access elsewhere.
I have visited many court rooms, took part in many cases, tried cases, had many conferences, had many hearings and litigated numerous motions. I have helped couples from all backgrounds overcome a range of challenges and obstacles. This means I can give a unique perspective to my clients when they’re making decisions related to complex topics like parenting time, child custody, equitable distribution, or even spousal maintenance.
I can share examples of how the courts make decisions about family law cases, and guide clients through the process of reaching fair, equitable agreements. Notably, while I’ve worked on many cases and various areas of law over the years, my passion has long been for the family law landscape.
After I joined the Suffolk County Assigned Panel early in my career, the experiences I had there inspired me to create my own family law practice. Eventually, after discovering the benefits of mediation, I added divorce mediation to my list of services, ensuring my clients had a range of different ways to approach the divorce process, based on their specific needs.
A Convenient Experience for Ulster County Residents
As noted above, while I have always attempted to make mediation experiences as convenient and comfortable for the people I work with as possible. Besides being a mediator, when a couple works with a different mediator I could be the review attorney for a client. I also sometimes offer to be a person’s behind the scenes consultant (in a case where someone is representing themselves, which is not advisable but sometimes is what the party chooses). I am also hired as a negotiator in cases prior to a court case being filed.
In the past I have long been limited to offering face-to-face services. Now that I can offer virtual mediation services, I can book sessions with clients over Zoom, allowing them to participate in valuable discussions from the comfort of their own home.
The mediation services I provide virtually offer just as much direction and support as a face-to-face session, and can be tailored to suit the needs of my clients. In many cases, I draw on my experience as a family attorney with evaluative mediation services, providing direct insights into how the courts will review certain agreements, to reduce the risk of disruptions and roadblocks.
In virtually all sessions, my focus will always be on ensuring fairness, and facilitating the best conversations possible between both parties. I often find interest-based negotiation techniques are excellent at assisting my clients in finding mutually acceptable agreements that they both feel comfortable with, based on their unique priorities.
In situations where conversations are stalled by difficult topics or concerns, facilitative mediation techniques, such as open-ended questioning, can help both me and my clients get to the bottom of problems, and find creative resolutions. Using a combination of these methods helps me to ensure every Ulster client couple gets the best possible results from divorce mediation.
Discover the Benefits of Virtual Divorce Mediation
There will always be cases where litigation is necessary to facilitate the completion of a successful divorce. However, I’ve found that in the majority of cases, mediation offers a powerful, less stressful alternative for negotiation. I’ve helped many clients achieve effective outcomes in a fraction of the time a litigation case would have taken, with mediation.
Now that virtual mediation is an option, I’m able to expand the services I can offer to residents of Ulster county, as well as couples located throughout the New York and Long Island areas. We can conduct sessions while you enjoy the comfort of your own home, without the need for travel.
If you believe mediation is a good option for you and your partner, and want to learn more about the virtual mediation process, or how it works, please contact my team. Alternatively, you can reach out to me via the contact form on this website, or our phone number, to arrange a free initial consultation with yourself and your partner.