Mediation services

One of the most cost-effective ways to walk through your separation is to jointly retain a mediator who will assist you and your spouse to resolve all of the issues between you, whether parenting, support or property-related. As lawyer-mediators, we can provide basic legal information (not legal advice), provide preliminary support calculations and draft a separation agreement. You will be encouraged to each obtain your own independent legal advice prior to signing the final agreement, but the costs of the mediator are shared between you.

Watch this short video for more details about the process of retaining a mediator.

If you and your spouse already have legal counsel, mediation is still a good option to consider. You may employ a mediator part way through the litigation process when the cost of a lengthy trial is not only undesirable but also irrational. Or you may choose mediation as a first step, committed to avoiding the excessive cost and stress of the court process. Mediation with lawyers is often limited to one or two days, with the document disclosure completed ahead of time. Your lawyer will be present to assist and advice you, but you are encouraged to participate fully to ensure the agreement is one you can live with long term.

Watch this video for details on what mediation is like with lawyers present.

There is also a blog post here.

One of our mediators, Rebecca Stanley, is partnering with two of her colleagues to offer a unique form of mediation where you receive the benefit of a team approach with two professionals with specialized training.

If parenting issues will be at the forefront of the discussions in mediation, consider retaining Rebecca, along with Divorce Coach and registered clinical counsellor, Shelley Behr. While Rebecca will help you navigate the process of discussing financial issues and finalizing a separation agreement, Shelley will focus on assisting you in developing a parenting plan unique to your family and providing you with co-parenting tools for a successful future. Visit here for details.

If financial issues will be at the forefront of your discussions, consider retaining Rebecca, along with Financial Specialist, Jennie Weeks, who will act as a financial neutral, providing assistance and education regarding your current financial picture and/or options for your financial futures. Meet Jennie Weeks here.

In 2020, we began to offer our mediation services virtually due to COVID restrictions. Even once these health and safety concerns are lifted, virtual mediation may makes sense for you and your spouse, particularly if you do not live in the same city or it would be inconvenient or costly to attend at our Vancouver, Surrey, Abbotsford, Chilliwack or Kelowna offices. We look forward to expanding our reach to more remote communities in BC and can provide basic training on Zoom to clients and lawyers ahead of the mediation sessions to ensure everyone is comfortable with the technology.

Geeta Gill is a Collaborative Family Lawyer with extensive experience negotiating settlements out of court. Geeta is also a certified Parenting Coordinator and a member of the BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society. As a parenting coordinator, Geeta acts as a neutral decision-maker to assist parents in resolving day-to-day conflicts about parenting issues, considering only the best interests of the child.

Rebecca Stanley, similarly, offers services as Collaborative Lawyer and out-of-court settlement lawyer. Rebecca is also a member of the BC Hear the Child Society Roster, trained to interview children regarding their views and to provide a non-evaluative report (created with the child’s input) through a safe, child-focused process.

For more details, please visit the Connect Family Law website here.