|
|
 |
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
|
1337 St. Clair Ave.
|
|
Frequently Asked QuestionsWho decides how we should work together?You do. As an experienced family mediator and attorney, I know many ways to reach your goals. I will talk to you and determine what your goals are, understand how comfortable you are in negotiating with the other party, and help you decide what services you want. We will discuss possible ways to proceed and reach an agreement, which is reflected in a retainer agreement, the contract between you and me. My goal is always to help you resolve your problems in as peaceful and efficient a way as possible. Therefore, I will help you determine if Collaborative Law, a way of resolving issues without court through four-way meetings with the parties and their attorneys, and using mediators, financial and parently professionals only as needed and only if hired by both parties, is likely to work well in your situation. You may wish to use my legal services in the traditional way, as a "full-service attorney" who will not only give you advice but also deal with the adverse party or his/her attorney, draft papers, appear in court for you, etc. If you simply want legal advice, we might meet just once. If you need more help but you feel competent to deal with the other party, you may choose to hire me for "advice only". I then might act as a "coach" to help you through your own negotiations with the other party, and then might, if you wish, draft a document that reflects the agreements you have reached, or critique documents created by the other party's attorney. As a mediator, I may see you and the other party only once, perhaps on a single issue such as a change in child support or access schedule. If no documents are necessary, you would pay only for your time with me. I encourage you to be an informed consumer of professional services. Who makes decisions?You always are the decision-maker--you are always in charge. If you hire me as your attorney, I will make one or more suggestions as to the best way to proceed and/or what your options are, but I will not make decisions for you. When I am acting as a mediator, I generally do not comment on what the law provides. I am there to help you and the other party resolve your differences and my job is to provide a safe & comfortable forum for you to do this. I may give you ways that other people have resolved similar issues if you both want me to but I will not give either party legal advice. If I have to go to court, shouldn't I want my lawyer to be a real shark? If you were going to the beach and you were worried about sharks in the water, would you feel any safer if you took along your own shark? |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
home Copyright 2007, Mary Antonia Wilmes |
|
