Family Law

Mediation v. Conciliation

Mediation focuses on a neutral facilitator helping parties reach their own solution, while conciliation involves a more active third party who proposes settlement terms, acting more like an evaluator of the case’s merits, making it more formal, unlike flexible mediation. The key difference is the conciliator’s assertive role in suggesting solutions versus the mediator’s role as a pure facilitator of the parties’ own agreement. 

I.Divorce Conciliation

Attorney Melanie Soloman has conciliated matters to successful resolution over one meeting and other matters over several meetings. The cost of conciliation is, by far, a significant savings in comparison to a trial, where the outcome is not known for months after a trial. In most instances, after a trial is concluded, trial counsel requests 30-days to submit post-trial submissions, which consist of proposed findings, proposed rationale, and a proposed judgment. The trial judge does not review or consider the case during that 30-day period. Thereafter, a judgment typically issues within 6 to 12 months. The significant delays resulting from a trial leaves the parties and their children without the certainty necessary to move on from the divorce. The cost of the trial, often, leaves the family without necessary resources to provide basic necessities, such as secure housing in a location where a parent has a reasonable commute time or where the child can attend school.

Taking into consideration all of the variables of a trial versus conciliation, the most timely, practical and affordable means of bringing your divorce to resolution is to retain Attorney Melanie Soloman to conciliate the matter. Attorney Soloman will review each parties’ case file and will schedule in-person or ZOOM meetings of parties and counsel. In most cases, the parties share the cost of conciliation unless the parties otherwise agree. Conciliation is a confidential process, meaning that neither party nor counsel may share communic

II.Divorce Mediation

Attorney Melanie Soloman aids parties in coming to a resolution on their divorce.  This process can commence from the onset of the process or during the process.  Based upon experience, it is best that each party in a divorce have their own lawyer during the mediation process.  The purpose in doing so is to ensure that you are being advised on your rights, aiding you to better understand a more reasonable and likely outcome.

Attorney Melanie Soloman has aided dozens of couples come to a mediated resolution that best supports the parties’ family.  It is not often that a couple can work together with a mediator and reach a successful end result.  The most common occurrence of mediation is when each spouse has secured their own counsel.  The attorneys work together, outside of court, to propose and negotiate options best for the family unit.  The mediation process saves the family a wealth of time and money, allowing for the family to move on, on a peaceful basis, and without exhausting all financial resources.